London, September, 1885.

CONTENTS

[INTRODUCTION]

Three Kinds of Astronomy—Progress of the Science during the Eighteenth Century—Popularity and Rapid Advance during the Nineteenth Century

PART I

PROGRESS OF ASTRONOMY DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY

[CHAPTER I]

FOUNDATION OF SIDEREAL ASTRONOMY

State of Knowledge regarding the Stars in the Eighteenth Century—Career of Sir William Herschel—Constitution of the Stellar System—Double Stars—Herschel's Discovery of their Revolutions—His Method of Star-gauging—Discoveries of Nebulæ—Theory of their Condensation into Stars—Summary of Results

[CHAPTER II]