reputation. It is not necessary they should. Humble work is not
less honourable, if it be done conscientiously, and with a sincere
desire to do the best that it is in our power to do.

An interesting feature in the younger Herschel's character was his
loving care for his father's fame. He was ever most anxious that the
full measure of his services to science should be recognized and
appreciated. Thus, in 1823, he writes to his aunt:--

"I have been long threatening to send you a long letter, but
have always been prevented by circumstances and want of leisure
from executing my intention. The truth is, I have been so much
occupied with astronomy of late, that I have had little time
for anything else--the reduction of those double stars, and the
necessity it has put me under of looking over the journals,
reviews, &c, for information on what has already been done, and
in many cases of re-casting up my father's measures, swallows
up a great deal of time and labour. But I have the satisfaction
of being able to state that our results in most instances
confirm and establish my father's views in a remarkable manner.
These inquiries have taken me off the republication of his
printed papers for the present.

"I think I shall be adding more to his fame by pursuing and
verifying his observations than by reprinting them. But I have
by no means abandoned the idea. Meanwhile, I am not sorry to
hear they are about to be translated into German.... I hope
this season to commence a series of observations with the
twenty-foot reflector, which is now in fine order. The
forty-foot is no longer capable of being used, but I shall
suffer it to stand as a monument."

* * * * *

In reference to this famous telescope, we may digress to state that its
remains have been carefully preserved.

The metal tube of the instrument, carrying at one end the recently
cleaned mirror of four feet ten inches in diameter, has been placed
horizontally in the meridian line, on solid piles of masonry, in the
midst of the circle where the apparatus used in manoeuvring it was
formerly placed. On the 1st of January 1840, Sir John Herschel, his
wife, their seven children, and some old family servants, assembled at
Slough. Exactly at noon the party walked several times in procession
round the instrument; they then entered the gig