f time, I took up astronomy, I determined to accept
nothing on faith, but to see with my own eyes everything which
others had seen before me. Having already some knowledge of the
science of optics, I resolved to manufacture my own telescopes, and
after many continuous, determined trials, I finally succeeded in
completing a so-called Newtonian instrument, seven feet in length.
From this I advanced to one of ten feet, and at last to one of
twenty, for I had fully made up my mind to carry on the improvement
of my telescopes as far as it could possibly be done. When I had
carefully and thoroughly perfected the great instrument in all its
parts, I made systematic use of it in my observations of the
heavens, first forming a determination never to pass by any, the
smallest, portion of them without due investigation. This habit,
persisted in, led to the discovery of the new planet (_Georgium
Sidus_). This was by no means the result of chance, but a simple
consequence of the position of the planet on that particular
evening, since it occupied precisely that spot in the heavens which
came in the order of the minute observations that I had previously
mapped out for myself. Had I not seen it just when I did, I must
inevitably have come upon it soon after, since my telescope was so
perfect that I was able to distinguish it from a fixed star in the
first minute of observation.

"Now to bring this sketch to a close. As the king had expressed a
desire to see my telescope, I took it by his command to Greenwich,
where it was compared with the instruments of my excellent friend,
Dr. MASKELYNE, not only by himself, but by other experts, who
pronounced it as their opinion that my instrument was superior to
all the rest. Thereupon the king ordered that the instrument be
brought to Windsor, and since it there met with marked approval, his
majesty graciously awarded me a yearly pension, that I might be
enabled to relinquish my profession of music, and devote my whole
time to astronomy and the improvement of the telescope. Gratitude,
as well as other considerations specified by me in a paper presented
to the Royal Society, of which I am a member, has induced me to call
the new planet _Georgium Sidus_.

"'Georgium Sidus.--jam nunc assuesce vocari.'--(_Virgil._)

And I hope it will retain the name."