s, and
other public musical entertainments, which gained him much popularity
among the cultivated classes which frequented this fashionable resort.
Notwithstanding his numerous professional engagements, Herschel was able
to devote a portion of his time to acquiring knowledge on other
subjects. He became proficient in Italian and Greek, studied
mathematics, and read books on astronomy. In 1773 he borrowed a small
telescope, which he used for observational purposes, and was so
captivated with the appearances presented by the celestial bodies, that
he resolved to dedicate his life to acquiring 'a knowledge of the
construction of the heavens.' This resolution he nobly adhered to, and
became one of the most distinguished of astronomers. Like many other
astronomers, Herschel possessed the requisite skill which enabled him to
construct his own telescopes. Being desirous of possessing a more
powerful instrument, and not having the means to purchase one, he
commenced the manufacture of specula, the grinding and polishing of
which had to be done by hand, entailing the necessity of tedious labour
and the exercise of much patience. After repeated failures he at length
completed a 5-1/2-foot Gregorian reflector, and with this instrument
made his first survey of the heavens. Having perceived the desirability
of possessing a more powerful telescope, he equipped himself with a
reflector of twenty feet focal length, and it was with this instrument
that he made those wonderful discoveries which established his
reputation as a great astronomer.

On March 31, 1781, when examining the stars in the constellation Gemini,
Herschel observed a star which presented an appearance slightly
different to that of the other stars by which it was surrounded; it
looked larger, had a perceptible disc, and its light became fainter when
viewed with a higher magnifying power. After having carefully examined
this object, Herschel arrived at the conclusion that he had discovered a
comet. He communicated intelligence of his discovery to the Royal
Society, and, a notification of it having been sent to the Continental
observatories, this celestial visitor was subjected to a close scrutiny;
its progressive motion among the stars was carefully observed, and an
orbit was assigned to it. After it had been under observation for some
time, doubts were expressed as to its being a comet, these were
increased on further examination, and eventually it was discovered that