The mind should always be diverted
towards one particular object; it should be the aim of everybody to
attain towards supreme excellence, if possible, in some one pursuit. On
the other hand, he should gather knowledge, more or less, in every
field, so as to avoid narrowness of view and poverty of idea.
Versatility does not necessarily mean superficiality; we may know much
of many things, and more of one thing. A man who is only a botanist,
shuts himself out from all the truest and deepest pleasures of
knowledge. It may be very clever for a violinist to play on a single
string; but he must play on _all_, if he would bring out the full
harmonies of his instrument, and do justice to its extraordinary powers.

* * * * *

Miss Herschel's enjoyment of life, which, when not carried to an excess,
is a Christian duty, continued to the very last. When she was in her
ninetieth year, she rose as usual every day, dressed, ate, drank, rested
on her sofa, read and conversed with her numerous visitors; still
taking an interest in science and literature, even in public affairs,
and still occupying herself with all that concerned the evergrowing
reputation of her nephew. Of course, she could not escape the
infirmities of old age, but by cheerfulness and patience she did her
best to alleviate them. In recalling incidents of her early life, she
frequently gave evidence of her good-humoured contentment. In 1840,
writing to her niece, she refers to an incident which occurred in the
early part of the forty-foot telescope's existence, when "God save the
King" was sung in it by her brother and his guests, who rose from the
dinner-table for the purpose, and entered the tube in procession. She
adds that among the company were two Misses Stows, one of whom was a
famous pianoforte player; some of the Griesbachs (well-known musicians),
who accompanied on the oboe, or any instrument they could get hold of;
and herself, who was one of the nimblest and foremost to get in and out
of the tube. "But now," she adds, "lack-a-day! I can hardly cross the
room without help. But what of that? Dorcas, in the _Beggar's Opera_,
says, 'One cannot eat one's cake and have it too!'"

She relates, in the same letter, a curious anecdote of the old and
celebrated tube. Before the optical apparatus was finished, many
visitors took a pleasure in walking through it,--among the rest, on one
occasion, King George III. and the Archbishop of Ca