[7]. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, Dec. 6, 1781.
[8]. “About the latter end of this month [December, 1779] I happened to be engaged in a series of observations on the lunar mountains, and the moon being in front of my house, late in the evening I brought my seven-feet reflector into the street, and directed it to the object of my observations. Whilst I was looking into the telescope, a gentleman coming by the place where I was stationed, stopped to look at the instrument. When I took my eye off the telescope, he very politely asked if he might be permitted to look in, and this being immediately conceded, he expressed great satisfaction at the view. Next morning the gentleman, who proved to be Dr. Watson, jun. (now Sir William), called at my house to thank me for my civility in showing him the moon, and told me that there was a Literary Society then forming at Bath, and invited me to become a member of it, to which I readily consented.”—Sir W. Herschel’s Journal. This occurred at a house in River Street, which was soon changed for 19, New King Street.
[9]. George Griesbach, who with the rest of the family settled in England, where they all did well, their musical talents and connections bringing them a good deal under the notice of the Court. Mr. G. Griesbach’s youngest daughter, Elizabeth, became the wife of Mr. Waterhouse, of the British Museum. She died in 1874.
[10]. This eminent astronomer made inquiries after Miss Herschel long years afterwards, as is related in the correspondence. See letter from Sir J. Herschel, dated Catania, 1824, p. 174.
[11]. This is the last time that the name of Jacob Herschel appears.
[12]. Dr. Herschel married Mary, only child of Mr. James Baldwin, a merchant of the City of London, and widow of John Pitt, Esq., by whom she had one son, who died in early youth. She was a lady of singular amiability and gentleness of character. The jointure which she brought enabled Dr. Herschel to pursue his scientific career without any anxiety about money matters.
[13]. M. De la Lande’s name was Jerome Le Français dit de la Lande; it is to himself, therefore, that he here refers. The letter is addressed “Mlle. Caroline Herschel, Astronome Célèbre, Slough.”
[14]. This comet, since known as Encke’s, in consequence of that great astronomer having determined its periodicity in 1819 and predicted its triennial return, was discovered, independently, four several times before its identity was recognized, Miss Herschel’s observation of it in 1795 being the second in order of time. Additional interest has since attached to it, in consequence of its gradually diminishing period and the views hence suggested on the economy of the solar system.
[15]. The Rev. S. Vince, a mathematician and natural philosopher.
[16]. Sir William Watson, M.D., Knight, F.R.S. from 1770 to 1800, when he resigned. He was one of the first members of the Astronomical Society at its foundation in 1821 under the Presidency of William Herschel. His father, also M.D. and Knight, was the eminent botanist and naturalist. He lived much at Dawlish, where the Herschel family frequently went to stay with him.