Notices of Books . 
406 
[] uly, 
miserable assistance your father made shift to obtain the means 
of exploring the heavens.” It would be unfair to the author to 
quote the details of the steps by which Sir William Herschel 
attained recognition, and of the share of merit due to his noble 
and devoted sister. As we find truly remarked in the Preface, 
“ great men and great causes have always some helper of whom 
the world knows little. Sometimes these helpers have been 
men, sometimes (more frequently, in our opinion) they have 
been women who have given themselves to help and 
to strengthen those called upon to be leaders and workers, 
inspiring them with courage, keeping faith in their own idea 
alive, in days of darkness, 
‘ When all the world seems adverse to desert.’ 
“ Of this noble company of unknown helpers Caroline Herschel 
was one.” 
Surely it is, then, but right that she should receive her due 
share of honour. In this volume the reader will learn how “ it 
was owing to her thrift and care that he was not harassed by the 
rankling vexations of money matters, how she had been his 
helper and assistant when he was a leading musician ; how she 
became his helper and assistant when he gave himself up to 
astronomy. By sheer force of will and devoted affeCtion she 
learned enough of mathematics and of methods of calculation, 
which to those unlearned seem mysteries, to be able to commit 
to writing the results of his researches. She became his assist- 
ant in the workshop, she helped him to grind and polish his 
mirrors, she stood beside his telescope in the nights of mid- 
winter, to write down his observations when the very ink was 
frozen in the bottle. She kept him alive by her care ; thinking 
nothing of herself, she lived for him.” So she stood by his side 
for fifty years, and when the musician of Bath had become 
Royal Astronomer, famed as the discoverer of Uranus and maker 
of the most powerful telescope then known, and had passed away 
full of years and glory, she returned to her native country to die. 
Even to Germany we almost grudge the honour of giving her a 
grave. Profoundly, however, as she felt her brother’s loss, and 
deprived as she was of what had been the great purpose of her 
life, she survived him for nearly twenty-four years, still interested 
in astronomical research, and almost inclined to accompany her 
nephew on his well known expedition to South Africa. Her 
letters during this period are extremely interesting. On receipt 
of the Astronomical Society’s medal she even says : “ I felt more 
shocked than gratified by that singular distinction, for I know 
too well how dangerous it is for women to draw too much notice 
on themselves.” In a letter to her nephew she uses these 
memorable words : “ Whoever says too much of me says too 
little of your father.” 
Nevertheless we hold that very much may be justly said in 
her praise without in the least detracting from the reputation 
