content himself with a fpeculative idea, but from the fcanty instructions he could gather out of optical treatises, actually fet about this arduous undertaking. Difappointment fucceeded difappointment; but all this only ferved to act as a ftimulus to his ardent mind, and at length his perfeverance was crowned with fuch fuccefs, that, in 1774, he enjoyed the exquifite fatisfaction of beholding the heavens through a five feet Newtonian reflector of his own workman. fhip. Our modern Galileo did not reft at this attainment, great as it was, but, with a laudable ambition, fet about making inftruments of a greater magnitude than had hitherto been known. After conftructing thofe of feven, and even ten feet, he thought of forming one not less than double the latter fize. So great was his patience, fo determined his perfeverance, that in perfecting the parabolical figure of a feven feet telescope, he did not make lefs than two hundred fpecula before he obtained one that would bear any power that was applied to it.

While he was thus laboriously employed in his mathematical purfuits, he did not neglect the immediate duties of his profeffion. Yet fo much did his new occupation engage his mind, that he has frequently stolen from the theatre or the concert-room, to look at the fiars, and then return again in time to bear his part among the mufical performers. This confiancy to Urania was at length moft bountifully rewarded, by the difcovery of a new planet in our fyftem, to which he gave the name of Georgium Sidus ;

and which foreign aftronomers at firft termed Herschel, but more lately, and generally, that planet has been called Urania.

This important difcovery was made in the night of the 13th of March, 1781. It was by no means a mere accidental circumfiance which favoured our aftronómer with the view of this planet; but the refult of a regular, patient, and fcientific chain of observations: When he firft faw it, he was not quite certain that it belonged to our fyftem, as a planet, but rather as a comet; however, a clofer enquiry enabled him to afcertain, with exactness, its planetary disk, as well as its motion.

- This difcovery was communicated in the course of the fame year to the Royal Society; and in confequence of it, Mr. Herfchel was unanimoufly elected a member, and had the annual gold medal bestowed upon him for his fervice to the interefts of fcience.

The year following his Majefty took him under his immediate protection. On this he quitted Bath and his musical inftruments, and went to live at Slough, near Windfor, at a houfe appointed for him by his royal patron, who conftituted him his own private aftronomical obferver, with a handsome penfion:

Here he was enabled to carry on his projects with vigour, and thofe which had hitherto failed of fuccefs were now brought to perfection. While at Bath, he had formed the bold fcheme of conftructing a telefcope of thirty feet, and actually made feveral trials to carry his object into effect. But though he failed

there

there, fince his refidence in the neighbourhood of Windfor he has far exceeded this defign, and completed an inftrument of no lefs than forty! The irregularities in the fpeculum, and the impoffibility of rendering the parts of fo enormous an inftrument as this mathematically exact, have hitherto prevented his being able to make any actual obfervations with it. It is a vulgar error, that the difcoveries of Dr. Herschel have been occafioned by the enormous magnifying power of his telefcope; the fact is, that no fuch large power is neceflary, or ufeful; and that all Dr. Herfchel's difcoveries have been made with reflectors of from ten to twenty feet, and with powers of from fixty to three hundred. His difcoveries arę to be afcribed to his laudable perfeverance, and not to the fize of his grand telescope, which is rather an object of curiofity than of utility.

In 1783 he difcovered a volcanic mountain in the moon, and in 1787 made further obfervations upon that planet, and found two others therein, which emitted fire from their fummits. In profecuting his enquiries respecting his own planet (if we may be allowed fo to exprefs ourselves), he has difcovered it to be furrounded with rings, and to have fix fatellites.

In confequence of these important additions to the stock of national knowledge, our astronomer had the honour of receiving, from the univerfity of Oxford, the degree of a Doctor of Laws; which is the more creditable, as that learned body is very fparing of its academic honours to perfons who have not been educated within its walls.

Dr. Herschel has been a regular contributor to the Philofophical Tranfactions ever fince his firft communication in 1781,* respecting his discovery of the new planet. Some of his papers are extremely curious; and he has hazarded a few bold conjectures respecting the fun, and other planetary bodies, which would hardly have been received from a lefs accurate obferver.

In his aftronomical purfuits the doctor is materially affifted by his fifter, Mifs Caroline Herschel, who has diftinguifhed herself greatly by her application to this fublime ftudy, and has communicated to the Royal Society fome very ingenious reports of obfervations made by her upon the starry orbs.

Dr. Herschel is a man of unaffuming manners; a free, communicative, and pleafant companion; and he enjoys that vigour of conftitution which is fo effential to an aftronomical obferver in a climate like that of England. It may be hoped, that his name will endure as long as the planetary system, to illuftrate which he has devoted his life.

Dr. Herschel still continues his contributions, having communicated "A fourth Catalogue of the comparative Brightness of the Stars," publifhed in Part I. of the Philofophical Transactions for 1799; a paper "On the Power of penetrating into Space by Telescopes," &c. published in Part I. for 1800: " Experiments on the Refrangibility of the invifible Rays of the Sun;"" Inves tigations of the Powers of the prifmatic Colours;" and "Experiments on the folar and the terrestrial rays that occafion Heat," published in Part II. for the fame year.

SIR NASH GROSE,

IS a native of London, and fon of Edward Grose, Efq. Being defigned for the bar, he was admitted of Lincoln's Inn, in Trinity term, 1756. In a fhort time he discovered very refpectable profeffional abilities, and established a character which foon procured him an extenfive fhare of business.

After about eight years' practice as a barrifter, he was called to the degree of Sergeant, and being confidered as a found lawyer, on the decease of that moft refpectable man, the late patriotic Sergeant Glynn, he took the lead in the court of Common Pleas. Mr. Grofe had the happinefs of uniting what very few attain, the talent of a fpecial pleader with a confiderable portion of eloquence.

In 1787, without the intervention of great friends, powerful alliances, or parliamentary intereft, he was raised to a feat in the court of King's Bench, of which he is now the third judge, and foon after this promotion his majefty conferred the honour of knighthood upon him.

In his judicial capacity, he has conducted himself fo as to avoid reflection or reproach; and this, in the present times, evinces no fmall degree of inte grity. Being entirely unconnected with political parties, he cannot reasonably hope to fucceed to the Chief Jufticeship of either of the courts, and, therefore, has no other object in view, but to difpenfe juftice with credit to himself and advantage to the public;