Some account of the great astronomical discoveries lately made by Sir
John Herschel at the Cape of Good Hope. Second Edition. London, 12mo.
1836.
This is a curious hoax, evidently written by a person versed in astronomy
and clever at introducing probable circumstances and undesigned
coincidences.[700] It first appeared in a newspaper. It makes Sir J.
Herschel discover men, animals, etc. in the moon, of which much detail is
given. There seems to have been a French edition, the original, and English
editions in America, whence the work came into Britain: but whether the
French was published in America or at Paris I do not know. There is no
doubt that it was produced in the United States, by M. Nicollet,[701] an
astronomer, once of Paris, and a fugitive of some kind. About him I have
heard two stories. First that he fled to America with funds not his own,
and that this book was a mere device to raise the wind. Secondly, that he
was a protege of Laplace, and of the Polignac party, and also an outspoken
man. That after the revolution he was so obnoxious to the republican party
that he judged it prudent to quit France; which he did in debt, leaving
money for his creditors, but not enough, with M. Bouvard. In America he
connected himself with an assurance office. {327} The moon-story was
written, and sent to France, chiefly with the intention of entrapping M.
Arago, Nicollet's especial foe, into the belief of it. And those who
narrate this version of the story wind up by saying that M. Arago _was_
entrapped, and circulated the wonders through Paris, until a letter from
Nicollet to M. Bouvard[702] explained the hoax. I have no personal
knowledge of either story: but as the poor man had to endure the first, it
is but right that the second should be told with it.