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William Herschel

William Herschel Biography

Astronomer

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“The difference of the degrees in which the individuals of a great community enjoy the good things of life has been a theme of declaration and discontent in all ages; and it is doubtless our paramount duty, in every state of society, to alleviate the pressure of the purely evil part of this distribution, as much as possible, and, by all the means we can devise, secure the lower links in the chain of society from dragging in dishonor and wretchedness.”

MeanHas BeensStatesAgeEvilIndividualEnjoyCommunityDifferencesDutyDegreesPressureGood ThingsSecureChainsThemeLinksDeclarationDistributionDiscontentBenevolenceParamountDishonorAlleviateWretchedness
Author:William Herschel
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“In the fabulous ages of ancient times the appellations of Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn were given to the planets as being the names of their principal heroes and divinities. In the present more philosophical era, it would hardly be allowable to have recourse to the same method, and call on Juno, Pallas, Apollo, or Minerva for a name to out new heavenly body. . . . I cannot but wish to take this opportunity of expressing my sense of gratitude, by giving the name Georgium Sidus, to a star [Uranus], by which (with to respect to us) first began to shine under His auspicious reign.”

GivingFirstsBodyAgeOpportunityNamesGivenWishStarsPlanetsHeroGratitudePhilosophicalMethodShiningAncientAstronomyErasDivinityHeavenlyPrincipalMarsReignFabulousApolloCosmologyVenusMercuryJupiterRecourseSaturnAncient TimesHeavenly BodiesMinerva
Author:William Herschel
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“... finding that in [the Moon] there is a provision of light and heat; also in appearance, a soil proper for habitation fully as good as ours, if not perhaps better who can say that it is not extremely probable, nay beyond doubt, that there must be inhabitants on the Moon of some kind or other?”

IfsKindLightScienceDoubtMoonFindingsAppearanceHeatSoilProvision
Book:The Scientific Papers of Sir William Herschel
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