The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1876-05-04
THE HERSCHELS.


Herschel determined on examining the
heavens methOdically for himself. Want
ing telescope, and unable to afford a
reflector, he made one, a Newtonian of
hVe feet focal length, and with this he
commenced an exhaustive study of the
armament, taking the groups of stars in
regular series. The discoveries he made
were considerable, and induced him TO
make researches with telescopeo of greater
power. So he commenced the construc-
ton of twenty-foot reflector, by which
minute characteristics might be distin-
guished among the stars, nebuIe, and
planets. To pursue his labors with any
advantage he required a knowledge of
mathematics and the art of calculating
by lOgarithms, but he was already in
stTucted in these branches of learning.
Caroline, who had in a lesser degree
taught herself mathematics, fell readily
into the project of making a telescope
which would excel everything else of the
kind. Here, then, about 1874, were these
two Herschels busted in telescOpe-making
Mechanics were employed to assist, and
the house for time was almost turned
into a workshop. A foundry was estab-
lished in the back garden. The beating
of hammers was heard in the garnet.
There were turning lathes in the bed
rooms. The rasping of files went on in
all directions. Caroline took her part in
the general bubbUb. Returning from a
concert, in which she had acquitted her
self as a vocalist, she would rapidly
change her dress, put on a pair of old
gloves, and work like a heroine until far
on in the morning. The heaviest and
most critical part of the manufacture
was casting and polishing the mirror.
William undertook the polishing. So
eager was he that he did not even spare
time to take food. Caroline waited on
him and put victuals into his mouth.
Sometimes to amuse him during these
mOnOtonOus labOrs she read to him chap
tiers from Don Quixote" or the works
of Sterne and Fielding. They were re-
warded. The twenty-fsOt telescope was
a success.
In 1881 William discovered Uranus, at
first called the GeOrgium Sidus, one of
the remOteT planets. Men of science be-
gan to speak of his astronomical feats and
gladly welcomed him to their circle. He
was elected a Fellow of the Royal So
Ciety, and for the few days he could spare
from professional duties was introduced
into the best society of London. The
time had come for devoting himself
entirely to astronomical pursuits. On
Whit-Sundav, 1882, he and his sister
played and sung in public for the last
time at a chapel in Bath. Caroline had
various requests to sing in OTatOriOs at
Bristol and elsewhere, but they were
declined. She would not leave her
brother. We thus fix 1882 as the turn
ing point in the history of the Herschels
Music was laid aside. HencetOrth it was
to be all astronomy, and there was 8
revealing in ideas of what might be mu-
tually discovered. Bath had served its
day and was given up. The neigkbor,
hood of London, well out of the fog and
smoke, was resolved on as place of res
idence. In coming to this determination
perhaps Herschel was influenced by at.
tentions shown to him by George III
The king protested to be interested il
his discoveries and had fancy to see hii
telescope; and appointed him to be
Astronomer Royal, at a salary of G40(
year. Never, as was said, did menarcl
purchase honor more cheaply.
At first the Herschels set themselve
down in an old tumble-down house a
Datchet, where there was considerabl,
space for fabricating telescopes. To Car
Oline was assigned the special duty o
examining the heavens nightly with tn,
small Newtonan telescope called
''sweeper," made by her brother. Gaz
ing for hours intently, she was to "sweeJ
for comets" or whatever seemed new anC
remarkable The duty of standing on
dewy grass-plot till, it might be, two il
the morning, searching for comets o
those cloud looking clusters of star
called nebulR, or anything else strange
on the surface of the sky, was rattle
irving and would scarcely fit a modern
young lady. In her devotion to he
brother, Miss Herschel did not murmu
at the Inconvenience of these explora
tions. She was bent on the glory of beini
a discoverer. To pursue her task to an,
good effects she had made herself &C
0uainted with the names and places o
the already known stars, comets, ant
other phenomena. She could detect
new comet in the realms of space a
readily as you would discover a strang
passenger in the street. Her brothe
having put up his twentyfoot telescope
was equally busy sweeping the heavens
and from the size and powers of the in
strument was able to penetrate deepe
into space, so as to resolve some of the neh
ulr into their component stars. In thi
way the two together largely increases
the catalogue of nebula, stars, comets
and satellites. For her own part, Care
line first and last discovered as many a
e;obt comets. only two of which had pre-
viOusly been known.
During the day Herschel was bus,
making telescopes of feet, 10 feet, an,
so on. that had been bespoke; some Q
them being ordered by the king for us
nv the royal family. One was ordere'
nv the king of Spain at the price of G3,
10 Two were ordered by the prince O
Canine at a cost of e2,300. The makin
of these telescopes was remnnerativ
work. not to be rejected, but it delaye'
the preparation of a telescope, with
mirror feet in diameter, having foca
length of 40 feet, on which great expeC
tations were founded. At length, an in
strument of these magnificent dimension
was begun at Slough to which the Her
scbeIs removed in 1886. The coustruC
tion of the 40 foot being beyond the pc
cuniarv means Of Herschel, he had tw
Grants from government of e., OO0 each
With an allowance of E200 a year for re
nairs. At the same time the sum of Go
a wear was settled on Caroline as assist
ant TO her brother.
Three years were occupied i'll the con
struction of the 40 foot telescope. 1t wa
completed in 1888 On the first nigh
after It was finished Herschel discovers
the sixth satellite of Saturn. The pow
ers of this enormous telescope were as
tonishing. Its speculum or mirror was
feet in diameter, and it magnihed abou