Norwich bulletin., 1922-04-29
FAMOUS MEN.
WILLIAM HERscHEL

William Herschel, one of the most eminent of all astronomers, at the age of S4, made many remarkable discover ies in the heavens, including a mum Der of new stars. The long series of his communications to the Royal As tronom- cal Society of England. closed in his eightieth year, on June Il, 1S18' with a paper on the telescopic sound- ing of space depths.
 Had William Herschel not received the appointment of Kings astonromer his life might have been considerably prolonged; but in that position Ee was bound to receive visitors of every character and was compelled to ex- plain to them his instruments, as well as to act the part of snowman of the heavens.
 This was a great tax on the time and strength of a man past the allot- ted period. The astronomers sister. Caroline also distinguished in that study, says: "On October 4, 1906, two parties from Windsor Castle came to see the comet, and during the whole month my brother had not an evening to himself. On October IA his nerves received a shock, of which he never got the better afterwards, for on that day he had hardly dismissed his troop of men, assisting him in the polish ing of the fortyfoot mirror of his telescope, when visitors assembled, and from the time it was dark till past midnight he was on the grass plot sur rounded by between fifty and sixty persons, without having had time to put on proper clothing, or for the least nourishment passing his lips" Herschefs strength the last years of his life was not equal to the task that was placed upon it. It is noted , in the diary of his sister that in 1S1s ! the Archduke Michael of Russia, with many attendants, came to his observa- 1 tory to see Jupiter. ''Princesses, arch 1 dukes, lords and ladies'" she notes l scame to see many objects in the ten | foot and other telescopes, unaware
 that the sage astronomer, whom they
 were treating as a snowman, was has
 tening to the grave through their in | consideration"
 A writer who paid a vist t Hersche1 has left the following pleas ant picture of the astronomer sage
 While we were standing beside tn great telescope, which we more ad mired than comprehended, it's maste CHerscheD appeared, I cheerful ol
 man, aged S1. How unassumingly d. | he make his cOA-4uuH4cdJ1onsi. Hoy lightly did he ascend the steps to tn gallery! With what calm pleasure di
 he seem to enjoy the success of hi
 effects in life!'
 Unlike most great geniuses in thei
 line, Herschel did not begin his ca
 reer as an astronomer until he ha
 reached middle age. Up to his thirty
 six year he devoted all his atten
 ton to music, for many years a band
 master in the army and later an or
 ganist in several prominent churches
 But when he changed his professio
 the Royal Society Journal noted
 "HerscheFs two-fold ambition is
 carry improvements in telescopes their utmost extent and to leave n spot in the heavns unexamined Dur , ing the intervals of a concert he migK be seen running still in lace rufhe and powder, from the theatre to th ; workshop. On one occasion, to avoi } impairing it's form, he polished specr . lum without intermission during siz ! teen hours.
 , It has fallen to the lot of very fe ) men to take up an entirely new prt , fession when they had reached midd l life and make themselves masters ? 1t beyond the accomplishment of ar
 lone who had preceded them This ws
 the case, howeve1, with Villa } Herschel. whose nagEe is n5w firm 7 established among the immortals
 this line.