Genre:

Poetry, Drollery

Relevant illustrations:

wdct. [2]

Illustrators:

T Hood

Subjects:

Astronomy, Observatories, Gender, Discovery, Intellectual Property, Astrology, Superstition

People mentioned:

Edmond Halley , Tycho Brahe

    The name of 'H******l' (i.e. John F W Herschel) is often and very justly cited amongst professors of astronomy, as he is 'hand in glove / With ev'ry bright intelligence above', and so often watches the stars that 'once upon a time he got be-knighted' (162). The poem describes his observation of a new comet. He is imagined in his observatory 'coquetting / With Venus', 'flirting with the winking stars', 'Acting the spy', and behaving as a peeping Tom, 'ogling thro' his glass / Some heavenly lass'. The discovery of the comet causes him to exclaim: '"My stars!"—he always puts that stress on my— / "My stars and garters!"' [the reference is to the insignia of his knighthood]. Herschel wishes the comet had been predicted: 'he ought / To have been caught / With scientific salt upon his tail!' [an allusion to the jocular advice given to children to catch birds by placing salt on their tails]. (163) Herschel is described as 'Heaven's Grand Inquisitor'. He is interrupted by his serving-man, telling him it is supper time, but expostulates that he cannot come since he is 'supping with the heavenly bodies', which the servant misconstrues (164). Herschel's protestation that he is 'engaged with a celestial stranger' leads the servant to suggest the stranger might need feeding, but Herschel points out that 'He wants no meat or drink, / And one may doubt quite reasonably whether He has a mouth, / Seeing his head and tail are joined together' (165). Shown the comet, the servant, 'full of Vauxhall reminiscences, cries, "A rare good rocket!"'. Herschel explains that the comet 'With fear of change [...] / Perplexes sovereigns', but the servant is heedless, since he has no sovereigns. (166) The illustration captioned 'Posse Cometatis' (facing 164) depicts a startled man in night-cap and dressing gown standing on his roof, and dropping his telescope, as the sky lights up with shooting stars. The illustration captioned 'The Harvest Moon' (166) depicts a crescent moon with a handle attached, so as to form a sickle.