Miss Herschel's claims to the gratitude of men of science, and to the
admiration of all who can appreciate the beauty of self-sacrifice, did
not end here. She was herself an astronomer, and an original observer.
At times her brother was enabled to dispense with her attendance. You
would suppose that such leisure nights she would gladly give up to rest.
Not she. Her brother might, at some unforeseen moment, require her aid,
and consequently she preferred to be close at hand. A seven-foot
telescope planted on the lawn helped to while away the hours of waiting;
and it was to the occupation of these hours that science owed the
discovery of the comet of 1786, of the comet of 1788, of the comet of
1791, of the comet of 1793, and of that of 1795, now connected with the
name of Encke. Many, also, of the nebulae contained in Sir William
Herschel's catalogues were detected by her keen and accurate gaze during
these nights of lonely observation. Indeed, as South remarked, when
looking at the joint-labours of these two enthusiasts, we scarcely know
whether the warmer praise should be given to the intellectual might of
the brother or the ardent industry of the sister.
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