The Herschels and Modern Astronomy

Sir John Herschel’s life has yet to be written. The published materials for it are scanty, although they have been reinforced by the inclusion in the late Mr. Graves’s “Life of Sir William Rowan Hamilton” (Dublin, 1882–9) of his correspondence with that remarkable man. The present writer has, however, been favoured by the late Miss Herschel, and by Sir William J. Herschel, with the perusal of a considerable number of Sir John Herschel’s, as well as of Sir William’s, manuscript letters. She also gratefully acknowledges the kind help afforded to her by Lady Gordon and Miss Herschel in connection with the portraits reproduced in this volume. For detailed bibliographical references, the articles on Sir John, Sir William, and Caroline Herschel, in the “Dictionary of National Biography,” may be consulted.