At one stage of the
very delicate operation of fashioning a reflector, it is necessary
for the workman to remain with his hand on the mirror for many hours
in succession. When such labours were in progress, Caroline used to
sit by her brother, and enliven the time by reading stories aloud,
sometimes pausing to feed him with a spoon while his hands were
engaged on the task from which he could not desist for a moment.
When mathematical work had to be done Caroline was ready for it; she
had taught herself sufficient to enable her to perform the kind of
calculations, not, perhaps, very difficult ones, that Herschel's work
required; indeed, it is not too much to say that the mighty life-work
which this man was enabled to perform could never have been accomplished
had it not been for the self-sacrifice of this ever-loving and faithful
sister. When Herschel was at the telescope at night, Caroline sat by
him at her desk, pen in hand, ready to write down the notes of the
observations as they fell from her brother's lips. This was no
insignificant toil. The telescope was, of course, in the open air,
and as Herschel not unfrequently continued his observations throughout
the whole of a long winter's night, there were but few women who could
have accomplished the task which Caroline so cheerfully executed.
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