and a still more positive proof of this is, that a difficult
question on the vibration of strings loaded with small weights had been
proposed for discussion in 1779: Herschel undertook to solve it, and his
dissertation was inserted in several scientific collections of the year
1780.

The anecdotic life of Herschel, however, is now closed. The great
astronomer will not quit his observatory any more, except to go and
submit the sublime results of his laborious vigils to the Royal Society
of London. These results are contained in his memoirs; they constitute
one of the principal riches of the celebrated collection known under the
title of _Philosophical Transactions_.

Herschel belonged to the principal Academies of Europe, and about 1816
he was named Knight of the Guelphic order of Hanover. According to the
English habit, from the time of that nomination the title of Sir William
took the place, in all this illustrious astronomer's memoirs, already
honoured with so much celebrity, of the former appellation of Doctor
William. Herschel had been named a Doctor (of laws) in the University of
Oxford in 1786. This dignity, by special favour, was conferred on him
without any of the obligatory formalities of examination, disputation,
or pecuniary contribution, usual in that learned corporation.

I should wound the elevated sentiments that Herschel professed all his
life, if I were not here to mention two indefatigable assistants that
this fortunate astronomer found in his own family. The one was Alexander
Herschel, endowed with a remarkable talent for mechanism, always at his
brother's orders, and who enabled him to realize without delay any ideas
that he had conceived;[15] the other was Miss Caroline Herschel, who
deserves a still more particular and detailed mention.

Miss Caroline Lucretia Herschel went to England as soon as her brother
became special astronomer to the king. She received the appellation
there of Assistant Astronomer, with a moderate salary. From that moment
she unreservedly devoted herself to the service of her brother, happy
in contributing night and day to his rapidly increasing scientific
reputation. Miss Caroline shared in all the night-watches of her
brother, with her eye constantly on the clock, and the pencil in her
hand; she made all the calculations without exception; she made three or
four copies of all the observations in separate registers; cooerdinated,
classed, and analyzed them. If the scient