an autobiography-第80部分

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I　had　also　the　pleasure　of　showing　him　my　experiment　of　cracking　a　glass　globe　filled　with　water　and　hermetically　sealed。　　The　water　was　then　slightly　expanded；　on　which　the　glass　cracked。　　This　was　my　method　of　explaining　the　nature　of　the　action　which；　at　some　previous　period　of　the　cosmical　history　of　the　Moon；　had　produced　those　bright　radiating　lines　that　diverge　from　the　lunar　volcanic　craters。　Sir　John　expressed　his　delight　at　witnessing　my　practical　illustration　of　this　hitherto　unexplained　subject；　and　he　considered　it　quite　conclusive。　　　I　also　produced　my　enlarged　drawings　of　the　Moon's　surface；　which　I　had　made　at　the　side　of　my　telescope。　　These　greatly　pleased　him　and　he　earnestly　urged　me　to　publish　them；　accompanied　with　a　descriptive　account　of　the　conclusions　I　had　arrived　at。　I　then　determined　to　proceed　with　the　preparations　which　I　had　already　made　for　my　long　contemplated　work。

Among　the　many　things　that　I　showed　Sir　John　while　at　Hammerfield；　was　a　piece　of　white　calico　on　which　I　had　got　printed　　one　million　spots。　　＇footnote。。。　At　a　recent　meeting　of　the　Metropolitan　Railway　Company　I　exhibited　one　million　of　letters；　in　order　to　show　the　number　of　passengers　（thirty…seven　millions）　that　had　been　conveyed　during　the　previous　twelve　months。　　This　number　was　so　vast　that　my　method　only　helped　the　meeting　to　understand　what　had　been　done　in　the　way　of　conveyance。　　Mr。　Macdonald　of　the　Times；　supplied　me　with　one　million　type　impressions；　contained　in　sixty　average　columns　of　the　Times　newspaper。　　。。。＇

This　was　for　the　purpose　of　exhibiting　one　million　in　visible　form。　In　astronomical　subjects　a　million　is　a　sort　of　unit；　and　it　occurred　to　me　to　show　what　a　million　really　is。　　Sir　John　was　delighted　and　astonished　at　the　sight。　　He　went　carefully　over　the　outstretched　piece　with　his　rule；　measured　its　length　and　breath；　and　verified　its　correctness。

I　also　exhibited　to　him　a　diagram；　which　I　had　distributed　amongst　the　geologists　at　the　meeting　of　the　British　Association　at　Ipswich　in　1851；　showing　a　portion　of　the　earth's　curve；　to　the　scale　of　one…tenth　of　an　inch　to　a　mile。　　I　set　out　the　height　of　Mont　Blanc；　Etna；　and　also　the　depth　of　the　deepest　mine；　as　showing　the　almost　incredible　minimum　of　knowledge　we　possess　about　even　the　merest　surface　of　the　globe。　　This　diagram　was　hailed　by　many　as　of　much　value；　as　conveying　a　correct　idea　of　the　relative　magnitude　of　geological　phenomena　in　comparison　with　that　of　the　earth　itself：

On　this　subject　Sir　Thomas　Mitchell；　Surveyor…General　of　Australia；　wrote　to　me　at　the　time：　　〃I　will　not　obtrude　upon　you　my　crude　notions　of　my　own；　but　merely　say　that　you　could　not　have　sent　the　'Geological　Standard　Scale'　to　one　who　better　deserved　it；　if　the　claim　in　such　favour　is；　as　I　suppose；　to　be　estimated　by　the　amount　of　the　time　of　one　whole　life；　applied　to　the　survey　of　great　mountain　ranges；　and　coasts；　rivers；　etc。　　By　this　long　practice　of　mine；　you　may　know　how　appreciable　this　satisfactory　standard　scale　is　to　your　humble　servant。

In　the　winter　of　1865　I　visited　Italy。　　While　at　Rome；　in　April；　I　had　the　pleasure　of　meeting　Otto　W。　von　Struve；　the　celebrated　Russian　astronomer。　　He　invited　me　to　accompany　him　on　a　visit　to　Father　Secchi　at　his　fine　observatory　of　the　Collegio　Romano。　　I　accepted　the　invitation　with　pleasure。　　We　duly　reached　the　Observatory　when　Struve　introduced　me　to　the　Father。　　Secchi　gave　me　a　most　cordial　and　unlooked…for　welcome。　　〃This；〃　he　said；　〃is　a　most　extraordinary　interview；　as　I　am　at　this　moment　making　a　representation　of　your　willow…leaf…shaped　constituents　of　the　Solar　surface！〃　　He　then　pointed　to　a　large　black　board；　which　he　had　daubed　over　with　glue　and　was　sprinkling　over　（　when　we　came　in）　with　rice　grains　〃That；〃　said　he；　〃is　what　I　feel　to　be　a　most　excellent　representation　of　your　discovery　as　I　see　it；　verified　by　the　aid　of　my　telescope。〃　　It　appeared　to　Father　Secchi　so　singular　a　circumstance　that　I　should　come　upon　him　in　this　sudden　manner；　while　he　was　for　the　first　time　engaged　in　representing　what　I　had　（on　the　spur　of　the　moment　when　first　seeing　them）　described　as　willow…leaf…shaped　objects。　　I　thought　that　his　representation　of　them；　by　scattering　rice　grains　over　his　glue…covered　black　board；　was　apt　and　admirable；　and　so　did　Otto　Struve。　This　chance　meeting　with　these　two　admirable　astronomers　was　one　of　the　little　bits　of　romance　in　my　life。

I　returned　to　England　shortly　after。　　Among　our　visitors　at　Hammerfield　was　Lord　Lyndhurst。　　He　was　in　his　ninetieth　year　when　he　paid　a　visit　to　Tunbridge　Wells。　　Charles　Greville；　Secretary　to　the　Privy　Council；　wrote　to　me；　saying　that　his　Lordship　complained　much　of　the　want　of　society；　and　asked　me　to　call　upon　him。　　I　did　so；　and　found　him　cheerful　and　happy。

I　afterwards　sent　him　a　present　of　some　of　my　drawings。　　He　answered：　〃A　thousand　thanks　for　the　charming　etchings。　　I　am　especially　interested　in　Robinson　Crusoe。　　He　looks　very　comfortable；　but　I　can't　see　his　bed；　which　troubles　me。　　The　election　（'Everybody　for　ever！'）　is　wonderful。　　I　should　not　like　to　be　there。　　I　hope　we　shall　go　to　you　again　one　of　these　days；　and　have　another　peep　into　that　wonderful　telescope。〃

To　return　to　Sir　John　Herschel；　We　returned　his　visit　at　his　house　at　Collingwood；　near　Hawkhurst。　　I　found　him　in　the　garden；　down　upon　his　knees；　collecting　crocus　bulbs　for　next　year's　planting。　　Like　myself；　he　loved　gardening；　and　was　never　tired　of　it。　　I　mention　this　as　an　instance　of　his　simple　zeal　in　entering　practically　into　all　that　interested　him。　　At　home　he　was　the　happy　father　and　lover　of　his　family。　　One　of　his　favourite　pastimes；　when　surrounded　by　his　children　in　the　evening；　was　telling　them　stories。　　He　was　most　happy　and　entertaining　in　this　tranquil　occupation。　　His　masterly　intellect　could　grasp　the　world　and　all　its　visible　contents；　and　yet　descend　to　entertain　his　children　with　extemporised　tales。　　He　possessed　information　of　the　most　varied　kind；　which　he　communicated　with　perfect　simplicity　and　artlessness！　　His　profound　astronomical　knowledge　was　combined　with　a　rich　store　of　mechanical　and　manipulative　faculty；　which　enabled　him　to　take　a　keen　interest　in　all　the　technical　arts　which　so　materially　aid　in　the　progress　of　science。　　I　shall　never　forget　the　happy　days　that　he　spent　with　me　in　my　workshop。　　His　visits　have　left　in　my　mind　the　most　cherished　recollections。　　Our　friendly　intercourse　continued　unbroken　to　the　day　of　his　death。　　The　following　is　the　last　letter　I　received　from　him：

COLLINGWOOD；　March　10；　1871。　〃MY　DEAR　SIRA　great　many　thanks　for　the　opportunity　of　seeing　your　most　exquisite　photographs　from　models　of　lunar　mountains。　　I　hope　you　will　publish　them。　　They　will　create　quite　an　electric　sensation。　Would　not　one　or　two　specimens　of　the　apparently　nonvolcanic　mountain　ranges；　bordering　on　the　great　plains；　add　to　the　interest？　　　Excuse　my　writing　more；　as　I　pen　this　lying　on　my　back　in　bed；　to　which　a　fierce　attack　of　bronchitis　condemns　me。　　With　best　regards　to　Mrs。　Nasmyth；　believe　me　yours　very　truly；

〃　J。　F。　W。　HERSCHEL。〃

Scientific　knowledge　seems　to　travel　slowly；　It　was　not　until　the　year　1875；　more　than　fourteen　years　after　my　discovery　of　the　willow…leaved　bridges　over　the　Sun's　spots　that　I　understood　they　had　been　accepted　in　America。　　I　learned　this　from　my　dear　friend　William　Lassell。　His　letter　was　as　follows：　〃I　see　the　Americans　are　appreciating　your　solar　observations。　　A　communication　I　have　lately　received　from　the　Alleghany　Observatory　remarks　'that　he　（Mr。　Nasmyth）　appears　to　have　been　the　first　to　distinctly　call　attention　to　the　singular　individuality　of　the　minute　components　of　the　photosphere；　and　this　seems　in　fairness　to　entitle　him　to　the　credit　of　an　important　discovery；　with　which　his　name　should　remain　associated。'〃

I　proceeded　to　do　that　which　Sir　John　Herschel　had　so　earnestly　recommended；　that　is；　to　write　out　my　observations　on　the　Moon。　It　was　a　very　serious　matter；　for　I　had　never　written　a　book　before。　It　occupied　me　many　years；　though　I　had　the　kind　assistance　of　my　friend　James　Carpenter；　then　of　the　Royal　Observatory；　Greenwich。　The　volcanoes　and　craters；　and　general　landscape　scenery　of　the　Moon；　had　to　be　photographed　and　engraved；　and　this　caused　great　labour。

At　length　the　book；　entitled　The　Moon；　considered　as　a　Planet；　a　World；　and　a　Satellite；　appeared　in　November　1874。　　It　was　received　with　much　favour　and　passed　into　a　second　edition。　　A　courteous　and　kind　review　of　the　book　appeared　in　the　Edinburgh；　and　the　notices　in　other　periodicals　were　equally　favourable。　　I　dedicated　the　volume　to　the　Duke　of　Argyll；　because　I　had　been　so　long　associated　with　him　in　geological　affairs；　and　also　because　of　the　deep　friendship　which　I　entertained　for　his　Grace。　　I　presented　the　volume　to　him　as　well　as　to　many　other　of　my　astronomical　friends。　　I　might　quote　their　answers　at　great　length；　from　the　Astronomer…Royal　downwards。　　But　I　will　quote　twoone　from　a　Royal　Academician　and　another　from　a　Cardinal。　The　first　was　from　Philip　H。　Calderon。　　He　said：

〃Let　me　thank　you　many　times　for　your　kind　letter；　and　for　your　glorious　book。　　It　arrived　at　twelve　to