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of William Herschel.
3
of him which the student of his philosophical writings acquires.
The letter referred to was published in the Göttingen Magazine of Science and Literature, III., 4, shortly after the name of Herschel had become familiar to every ear through his discovery of Uranus, but while the circumstances of the discovery, and the condition of the amateur who made it, were still entirely unknown.
The editor (Lichtenberg) says:
"Herr Herschel was good enough to send me, some time since, through Herr Magellan, copies of his Dissertations on Double Stars, on the Parallax of the Fixed Stars, and on a new Micrometer. In the letter which conveyed to him my thanks for his gift, I requested him to note down a few facts in regard to his life, for publication in this magazine, since various accounts, more or less incorrect, had appeared in several journals. In answer, I received a very obliging letter from him, and what follows is that portion of it relating to my request, which was sent me with full permission to make it public."
"I was born in Hanover, November, 1738. My father, who was a musician, destined me to the same
"Datchet, near Windsor,
Nov. 15, 1783.
