In the evening Mr. Herschel[217] came to tea. I had once seen that very
extraordinary man at Mrs. de Luc's, but was happy to see him again,
for he has not more fame to awaken curiosity, than sense and modesty to
gratify it. He is perfectly unassuming, yet openly happy; and happy in
the success of those studies which would render a mind less excellently
formed presumptuous and arrogant. The king has not a happier subject
than this man, who owes wholly to his majesty that he is not wretched:
for such was his eagerness to quit all other pursuits to follow
astronomy solely, that he was in danger of ruin, when his talents, and
great and uncommon genius, attracted the king's patronage. He has now
not only his pension, which gives him the felicity of devoting all his
time to his darling study, but he is indulged in licence from the king
to make a telescope according to his new ideas and discoveries, that is
to have no cost spared in its construction, and is wholly to be paid for
by his majesty.
This seems to have made him happier even than the pension, as it enables
him to put in execution all his wonderful projects, from which his
expectations of future discoveries are so sanguine as to make his
present existence a state of almost perfect enjoyment. Mr. Locke himself
would be quite charmed with him. He seems a man without a wish that has
its object in the terrestrial globe.
At night, Mr. Herschel, by the king's command, came to exhibit to his
majesty and the royal family the new comet lately discovered by his
sister, Miss Herschel; and while I was playing at piquet with Mrs.
Schwellenberg, the Princess Augusta came into the room, and asked her if
she chose to go into the garden and look at it. She declined the offer,
and the princess then made it to me. I was glad to accept it, for all
sorts of reasons.
We found him at his telescope, and I mounted some steps to look through
it. The comet was very small, and had nothing grand or striking in its
appearance; but it is the first lady's comet, and I was very desirous
to see it. Mr. Herschel then showed me some of his new-discovered
universes, with all the good humour with which he would have taken
the same trouble for a brother or a sister-astronomer: there is no
possibility of admiring his genius more than his gentleness.