Bibliography
I.—List of the Published Writings of William Herschel on Astronomical Subjects.
[In chronological order.]
N.B.—In general, translations and abstracts of those which appeared in periodicals are not noticed here. I have made exceptions in the more important cases.
[Solution of a prize question. See this book, page 46.]
Ladies’ Diary, 1779.
Astronomical observations on the periodical star in Collo Ceti.
Phil. Trans., 1780, p. 338.
Astronomical observations relating to the mountains of the moon.
Phil. Trans., 1780, p. 507.
Astronomical observations on the rotation of the planets round their axes, made with a view to determine whether the earth’s diurnal motion is perfectly equable.
Phil. Trans., 1781, p. 115.
Account of a comet. [Dated 13th March, 1781. This was Uranus.]
Phil. Trans., 1781, p. 492.
On the parallax of the fixed stars.
Phil. Trans., 1782, p. 82.
Observations of the changeable brightness of the satellites of Jupiter, and of the variation in their apparent magnitudes, with a determination of the time of their rotatory motions on their axes. To which is added a measure of the diameter of the second satellite, and an estimate of the comparative size of all the four.
Phil. Trans., 1797, p. 332.
Bode’s Jahrbuch, 1801, p. 103.
On the discovery of four additional satellites of the Georgium Sidus. The retrograde motion of its old satellites announced, and the cause of their disappearance at certain distances from the planet explained.
Phil. Trans., 1798, p. 47.
Bode’s Jahrbuch, 1801, p. 231.
A fourth catalogue of the comparative brightness of the stars.
Phil. Trans., 1799, p. 121.
Bode’s Jahrbuch, 1810, p. 143.
On the power of penetrating into space by telescopes, with a comparative determination of the extent of that power in natural vision, and in telescopes of various sizes and constructions, illustrated by select observations.
Phil. Trans., 1800, pp. 49-85.
Bode’s Jahrbuch, 1804, p. 231.
Investigation of the powers of the prismatic colors to heat and illuminate objects, with remarks that prove the different refrangibility of radiant heat. To which is added an inquiry into the method of viewing the sun advantageously with telescopes of large apertures and high magnifying powers.
Phil. Trans., 1800, pp. 255-283.
Bode’s Jahrbuch, 1804, p. 89.
Experiments on the refrangibility of the invisible rays of the sun.
Phil. Trans., 1800, pp. 284-292.
Bode’s Jahrbuch, 1804, p. 89.
Experiments on the solar and on the terrestrial rays that occasion heat, with a comparative view of the laws by which light and heat, or rather the rays that occasion them, are subject, in order to determine whether they are the same or different.
Phil. Trans., 1800, pp. 293-326, 437-538.
Gilbert Annal., X. (1802), pp. 68-78;
same, XII. (1803), pp. 521-546.
Observations tending to investigate the nature of the sun, in order to find the causes or symptoms of its variable emission of light and heat, with remarks on the use that may possibly be drawn from solar observations.
Phil. Trans., 1801, pp. 265-318.
Bode’s Jahrbuch, 1805, p. 218, and 1806, p. 113.
Ueber den 7 Nebelfleck der 1sten classe des Herschel’schen Verzeichniss, und ueber Ceres and Pallas, vom Herrn Doctor Herschel, aus zwey Briefen desselben.
Bode’s Jahrbuch, 1805, p. 211.
Additional observations tending to investigate the symptoms of the variable emission of the light and heat of the sun, with trials to set aside darkening glasses by transmitting the solar rays through liquids, and a few remarks to remove objections that might be made against some of the arguments contained in the former paper.
Phil. Trans., 1801, pp. 354-362.
Observations on the two lately discovered celestial bodies [Ceres and Pallas].
Phil. Trans., 1802, pp. 213-232.
Nicholson Journal, IV. (1808), pp. 120-130, 142-148.
Catalogue of five hundred new nebulæ, nebulous stars, planetary nebulæ, and clusters of stars, with remarks on the construction of the heavens.
Phil. Trans., 1802, pp. 477-528.
Bode’s Jahrbuch, 1807, p. 113.
Observations of the transit of Mercury over the sun’s disk, to which is added an investigation of the causes which often prevent the proper action of mirrors.
Phil. Trans., 1803, pp. 214-232.
Account of the changes which have happened during the last twenty-five years in the relative situation of double stars, with an investigation of the cause to which they are owing.
Phil. Trans., 1803, pp. 339-382.
Bode’s Jahrbuch, 1808, pp. 154-178.
Continuation of the account of the changes that have happened in the relative situation of double stars.
Phil. Trans., 1804, pp. 353-384.
Bode’s Jahrbuch, 1808, p. 226.
Aus einem Schreiben des Herrn Doctor Herschel, datirt Slough, bey Windsor, den 31. May, 1804.
[Relates to his theory of the relation between the solar radiation and the price of wheat.]
Bode’s Jahrbuch, 1808, p. 226.
Experiments for ascertaining how far telescopes will enable us to determine very small angles, and to distinguish the real from the spurious diameters of celestial and terrestrial objects, with an application of the results of those experiments to a series of observations on the nature and magnitude of Mr. Harding’s lately discovered star [Juno (1804),].
Phil. Trans., 1805, pp. 31-70.
On the direction and velocity of the motion of the sun and solar system.
Phil. Trans., 1805, pp. 233-256.
Bode’s Jahrbuch, IV. Suppl. Band, p. 67.
Observations on the singular figure of the planet Saturn.
Phil. Trans., 1805, pp. 272-280.
Bode’s Jahrbuch, 1809, p. 197.
On the quantity and velocity of solar motion.
Phil. Trans., 1806, pp. 205-237.
Bode’s Jahrbuch, 1811, p. 224.
Observations and remarks on the figure, climate, and atmosphere of Saturn and its ring.
Phil. Trans., 1806, pp. 455-467.
Gilbert Annal., XXXIV. (1810), pp. 82-105.
Bode’s Jahrbuch, 1810, p. 228.
Experiments for investigating the cause of the colored concentric rings discovered by Sir I. Newton between two object-glasses laid one upon another.
Phil. Trans., 1807, pp. 180-233.
Annal. de Chimie, LXX., 1809, pp. 154-181, 293-321;
same, LXXI., 1809, pp. 5-40.
Observations on the nature of the new celestial body [Vesta] discovered by Dr. Olbers, and of the comet which was expected to appear last January in its return from the sun. [1806, II.]
Phil. Trans., 1807, pp. 260-266.
Observations of a comet [1807, I.] made with a view to investigate its magnitude and the nature of its illumination, to which is added an account of a new irregularity lately perceived in the apparent figure of the planet Saturn.
Phil. Trans., 1808, pp. 145-163.
Gilbert Annal., XXXVI. (1810), pp. 389-393.
Zach, Monat. Corresp., XX. (1809), pp. 512-514.
Continuation of experiments for investigating the cause of colored concentric rings and other appearances of a similar nature.
Phil. Trans., 1809, pp. 259-302.
Supplement to the first and second part of the paper of experiments for investigating the cause of colored concentric rings between object-glasses, and other appearances of a similar nature.
Phil. Trans., 1810, pp. 149-177.
Gilbert Annal., XLVI., 1814, pp. 22-79.
Astronomical observations relating to the construction of the heavens, arranged for the purpose of a critical examination, the result of which appears to throw some new light upon the organization of the celestial bodies.
Phil. Trans., 1811, pp. 269-336.
Journ. de Phys., LXXV., 1812, pp. 121-167.
Observations of a comet, with remarks on the construction of its different parts [1811, I.].
Phil. Trans., 1812, pp. 115-143.
Journ. de Phys., LXXVII., 1813, pp. 125-135.
Zach, Monat. Corresp., XXVIII., 1813, pp. 455-469, 558-568.
Bode’s Jahrbuch, 1816, p. 185.
Observations of a second comet, with remarks on its construction [1811, II.].
Phil. Trans., 1812, pp. 229-237.
Nicholson Journ., XXXV., 1813, pp. 193-199.
Bode’s Jahrbuch, 1816, p. 203.
Astronomical observations relating to the sidereal part of the heavens, and its connection with the nebulous part, arranged for the purpose of a critical examination.
Phil. Trans., 1814. pp. 248-284.
Bode’s Jahrbuch, 1818, pp. 97-118.
A series of observations of the satellites of the Georgian planet, including a passage through the node of their orbits, with an introductory account of the telescopic apparatus that has been used on this occasion, and a final exposition of some calculated particulars deduced from the observations.
Phil. Trans., 1815, pp. 293-362.
Bode’s Jahrbuch, 1819, p. 232-242.
Astronomical observations and experiments tending to investigate the local arrangement of the celestial bodies in space, and to determine the extent and condition of the Milky Way.
Phil. Trans., 1817, pp. 302-331.
Bode’s Jahrbuch, 1821, p. 149.
Astronomical observations and experiments selected for the purpose of ascertaining the relative distances of clusters of stars, and of investigating how far the power of our telescopes may be expected to reach into space, when directed to ambiguous celestial objects.
Phil. Trans., 1818, pp. 429-470.
On the places of one hundred and forty-five new double stars (1821).
Mem. Roy. Ast. Soc., 1, 1822, pp. 166-181.
II.—List of Works relating to the Life and Writings of William Herschel.
[Arranged alphabetically by authors.]
N.B.—In general, the notices of his life to be found in Encyclopædias of Biography, etc., are not included here.
Arago (F.)
Analyse de la vie et des travaux de Sir William Herschel [from Annuaire du Bureau des Longitudes, 1842]. Paris, 1843. 18mo.
[See also the Annuaire for 1834, for an account of Herschel’s work on double stars.]
Arago (F.)
Biographies of Distinguished Scientific Men. Translated by Admiral W. H. Smyth, Rev. B. Powell, and Robert Grant, Esq. Herschel.
First series, p. 258. Boston, 1859. 8vo.
Arago (F.)
Herschel. [Translated from the French.]
Smithsonian Report. 1870. p. 197. 8vo.
Auwers (A.)
William Herschel’s Verzeichnisse von Nebelflecken und Sternhaufen bearbeitet von A. Auwers.
From the Königsberg Observations. 1862. Folio.
Bessel (F. W.)
Sir William Herschel. [From the Königsberger Allgemeine Zeitung, 1, 1843, No. 37, et seq., reprinted in his] Abhandlungen, vol iii., p. 468. Leipzig, 1876. 4to.
D’Arrest (H. L.)
Verzeichniss von Sir William Herschel’s Nebelflecken erster und vierter Classe, aus den Beobachtungen berechnet und auf 1850 reducirt.
Abhandlungen der Math. Phys. Classe der K. Sächs Gesells. d. Wissenschaften, Band iii. [1857], p. 359.
Dunkin (E.)
Obituary Notices of Astronomers, p. 86. Sir William Herschel,
K.C.H., F.R.S., 1738-1822.
London, 1879. 12mo.
Fétis (F. J.)
Biographie universelle des Musiciens [Article Herschel].
Paris, 1835-37. 8vo.
Forbes (J. D.)
Sir William Herschel [being § 2 of Dissertation vi.].
Encyclopædia Britannica, eighth edition. Vol. i., Dissertations, p. 838.
Fourier (J.)
Éloge historique de Sir William Herschel, prononcé dans la séance publique de l’Académie royale des sciences le 7 Juin, 1824.
Historie de l’Académie Royale des Sciences de l’Institut de France, tome vi., année 1823, p. lxi.
Harding (C. L.)
Des Herrn Dr. Herschel’s Untersuchungen über die Natur der Sonnenstrahlen, aus dem englischen übersetzt. Erstes Heft. [Translations from Phil. Trans., 1800.] Celle, 1801. 16mo.
Hastings (C. S.)
See Holden and Hastings.
Herschel (Carolina.)
An Account of a new Comet. [1786, II.]
Phil. Trans., 1787, vol. LXXVII., p. 1.
Herschel (Carolina.)
An Account of the Discovery of a Comet. [1793, I.]
Phil. Trans., 1794, vol. LXXXIV., p. 1.
Herschel (Carolina.)
Account of the Discovery of a Comet. [1795, II.]
Phil. Trans., 1796, vol. LXXXVI., p. 131.
Herschel (Carolina.)
Catalogue of Stars taken from Flamsteed’s observations contained in the second volume of his Historia Cœlestis, and not inserted in the British Catalogue; to which is added a collection of errata which should be noticed in the same volume; with remarks by W. Herschel. London, 1798. Folio.
Herschel (Carolina.)
Verzeichniss von 74 Sternen Flamsteeds von denen keine beobachtungen in der Hist. Cœl. Brit. vorkommen.
Bode’s Jahrbuch, 1806, p. 255
[Herschel (Carolina.)]
[Notice of her Life.]
Monthly Notices Roy. Ast. Soc., vol. 8, p. 64; also, Memoirs Roy. Ast. Soc., vol. 17, p. 120.
[Herschel (Carolina.)]
Memoir and Correspondence of Caroline Herschel. By Mrs. John Herschel. With portraits. London, 1876. 12mo.
Herschel (J. F. W.)
Article Telescope, in Encyclopædia Britannica, eighth edition. [This article (illustrated) gives most of the important features of Sir William Herschel’s manner of grinding and polishing specula.]
Herschel (J. F. W.)
Catalogue of Nebulæ and Clusters of Stars. [General and systematic reduction of all Sir W. Herschel’s observations brought into connection with all other similar ones.]
Phil. Trans., 1864. Page 1. 4to.
Herschel (J. F. W.)
A Synopsis of all Sir William Herschel’s Micrometrical Measurements, etc., of Double Stars, together with a Catalogue of those Stars... for 1880.
Mem. Roy. Ast. Soc., vol. 35, p. 21. Lond., 1867. 4to.
Herschel (J. F. W.)
Additional Identifications of Double Stars in the Synoptic Catalogues of Sir William Herschel’s Micrometrical Measurements, etc.
Monthly Notices Roy. Ast. Soc., vol. 28, p. 151. London, 1868. 8vo.
Herschel (Mrs. John.)
Memoir and Correspondence of Caroline Herschel. With portraits. London, 1876. 12mo.
Herschel (W.)
[Solution of a prize question. See this book, page 46.]
Ladies’ Diary, 1779.
Herschel (W.)
The favorite Eccho Catch... and the preceding Glee [by S. Leach]. To which is added the... Catch Sung by Three Old Women... in the Pantomime called “The Genius of Nonsense” [by H. Harington].
London, 1780(?). Obl. folio. [A MS. copy of this was kindly furnished me by Dr. R. Garnett, of the British Museum.]
Herschel (W.)
Göttingen Magazin der Wissenschaften und Literatur (1783), vol. iii., p. 4. Lichtenberg and Forster, Editors. [Letter from Herschel, giving a brief account of his life. See this book, page 3.]
Herschel (W.)
I. Manuscripts in possession of the Royal Society.
1. A series of register sheets in which are entered up all the observations of each nebula, copied verbatim from the sweeps. 2. A similar set of register sheets for Messier’s nebulæ. 3. A general index of the 2,508 nebulæ of W. Herschel; given the class and number, to find the general number. 4. An index list; given the general number, to find the class and number. 5. A more complete list like 4. 6. A manuscript catalogue of all the nebulæ and clusters, reduced to 1,800, and arranged in zones of 1° in polar distance; by Miss Carolina Herschel. 7. The original sweeps with the 20-foot reflector at Slough, in three small 4to and four folio vols. of MS.
II. Manuscripts in possession of the Royal Astronomical Society.
This library contains “the whole series of autograph observations of each double star [observed by Herschel], brought together on separate sheets by Sir William Herschel and Miss Carolina Herschel.”
[Herschel (W.)]
Some Account of the Life and Writings of William Herschel, Esq. [With a Portrait.]
The European Magazine and London Review for January, 1785. 8vo.
[Herschel (W.)]
Edinburgh Review, vol. i., p, 426. [A review of Herschel’s memoir, “Observations on the two lately discovered bodies,” from Phil. Trans., 1802. See this book, page 96.]
[Herschel (W.)]
“Sir William Herschel, from a London paper.”
[This is a short obituary notice “furnished by a gentleman well acquainted with Sir William and his family, and its accuracy may be relied on.”]
Niles’ Register, vol. 23, p. 154. Nov. 9, 1822. 8vo.
[Herschel (W.)]
Obituary: Sir William Herschel, Knt., LL.D., F.R.S.
The Gentleman’s Magazine and Historical Chronicle, vol. xcii., 1822, p. 274. 8vo.
[Herschel (W.)]
Annual Register, 1822, p. 289. 8vo.
[Herschel (W.)]
W. Herschel’s Sämmtliche Schriften, Erster Band.
Ueber den Bau des Himmels. Mit 10 Kupfertafeln. [Edited by J. W. Pfaff. A second edition was published in 1850.] Dresden and Leipzig, 1828. 8vo.
[Herschel (W.)]
New York Mirror, vol. vi., 1829-30, p. 388.
[Herschel (W.)]
Living Age, vol. ii., p. 125 (1844). 8vo.
[Reprinted from Chambers’ Journal.]
[Herschel (W.)]
Foreign Quarterly Review, vol. 31, p. 438. 8vo.
[Review of Arago’s “Analyse de la vie et des travaux de Sir William Herschel.”]
[Herschel (W.)]
Arago’s Life of Herschel.
Eclectic Museum, vol. ii., p. 556. [Reprinted from the Foreign Quarterly Review, vol. 31.]
Holden (E. S.)
On the Inner Satellites of Uranus. [Reduction of Sir William Herschel’s observations.]
Proceedings Amer. Assn. Adv. Science, August, 1874, p. 49. 8vo.
Holden (E. S.)
Index Catalogue of Books and Memoirs relative to nebulæ, clusters, etc. Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, No. 311, pp. 19-38. [Abstracts of Sir William Herschel’s memoirs (on nebulæ) in the Philosophical Transactions.]
Washington, 1877. 8vo.
Holden (E. S.) and C. S. Hastings.
A Subject-index and a Synopsis of the scientific writings of Sir William Herschel. [Reprinted from the Report of the Smithsonian Institution (1879).]
Washington, 1881. 8vo.
Krafft (J. G. F.)
Kurze Nachricht von dem berühmten Astronomen Herschel und einigen seiner Entdeckungen.
Bayreuth, 1787. 8vo.
Peirce (C. S.)
Photometric Researches. [A reduction of Herschel’s observations on the comparative brightness of the stars.] Annals Harvard College Observatory, vol. ix.
Leipzig, 1878. 4to.
Sommer (G. M.)
William Herschel... ueber den Bau des Himmels; drei abhandlungen aus dem englischen uebersetzt, nebst einem authentischen Auszug aus Kants allgemeiner Naturgeschichte und Theorie des Himmels.
Koenigsberg, 1791. 8vo.
Struve (W.)
Études d’astronomie stellaire. Sur la voie lactée et sur la distance des étoiles fixes. [P. 24 et seq. contains an elaborate review of the construction of the heavens according to Herschel.] St. Petersburg, 1847. 8vo.
Wolf (R.)
William Herschel. Zurich, 1867. 8vo.
Zach (F. von.)
Dr. William Herschel [translated from Public Characters and printed in Zach’s Monatlich Correspondenz, 1802, part i., p. 70 et seq.]
III.—List of the Published Portraits of William Herschel.
Artist, Mme. Dupiery. Engraver, Thönert. 8vo. Early portrait. Some copies in red. Profile.
Artist, F. Rehburg. Engraver, F. W. Bollinger. 8vo. Late portrait.
Artist, ——? Engraver, C. Westermayr. 8vo. Medallion.
Artist, C. Brand. Engraver, ——? 8vo. Lithograph.
Artist, ——? Engraver, J. Sewell. 8vo. Profile, 1785.
Artist, ——? Engraver, ——? 8vo. Profile.
Artist, F. Bonneville. Engraver, F. Bonneville. 8vo. Profile.
Artist, J. Russell, R.A. Engraver, E. Scriven. 8vo. Engraved from a crayon in the possession of his son, and published by the S. D. U. K. in the Gallery of Portraits, vol. 5.
Artist, ——? Engraver, ——? 8vo. European Magazine, Jan., 1785. This is a bust in profile, showing the left side of the face.
Artist, ——? Engraver, Thomson. 8vo. Published by Caxton, 1823. This must have been engraved before 1816 since the legend is William Herschel, LL.D., F.R.S.
Artist, Lady Gordon. From the painting by Abbott in the National Portrait Gallery. Engraver, Joseph Brown. 8vo. Published in memoir of Caroline Herschel. This is of the date 1788, or thereabouts. See frontispiece.
Artist, ——? Engraver, C. Müller. 4to. Medallion, 1785(?).
Artist, ——? Engraver, H. Pinhas. 4to. Legend in Russian.
Artist, Baisch. Engraver, ——? 4to. Lithograph.
Artist, H. Grévedon. Engraver, ——? Fol. Lithograph.
Artist, ——? Engraver, F. Müller. Fol.
Artist, Abbott. Engraver, Ryder. Fol. 1788.
Artist, J. Boilly. Engraver, ——? Fol. 1822. Lithograph.
Artist, ——? Engraver, J. Godby. Fol.
R. W. S. Lutwidge, Esq., F.R.A.S., has an original seal with a head of Sir William Herschel, which is shown on the title-page of this work. A cut of it has been courteously furnished me by John Browning, Esq., F.R.A.S., etc.
In 1787 a bust of Herschel was made by Lockie for Sir William Watson.
A picture of Herschel was painted by Mr. Artaud about the beginning of 1819. A portrait of Herschel by Abbott is in the National Portrait Gallery, London. There are no doubt many other paintings in England, though I can find notices of these only. The Royal Society of London has nearly a hundred portraits of its most distinguished members, but owns none of Sir William Herschel.