Section 35. SIR[1] WILLIAM HERSCHEL.
Reading edition
Section 35. SIR[1] WILLIAM HERSCHEL.
When[2] pursuing his musical avocations in the pump-room at Bath, Sir William Herschel had a small workshop close[3] at hand, and when (S. 18, N. 6) the[4] exacting loungers in the pump-room admitted of a pause in the music, he slipped off[5] to (S. 19, N. 7) complete the polishing of a speculum[6], or the grinding[7] of a lens. Scarcely, however, had he heard the signal[8], when[9] he was ready to snatch up his instrument and[10] to be the first in the orchestra. Thus[11] he gathered up the fragments of time, and this made (S. 27, N. 4) him at last the friend of monarchs[12], and the first[13] of astronomers.—Rev. Dr. Leitch.
Notes in this chapter
Note 6 · The conjunction ‘when’, used in the sense of ‘whenever’, and referring to indefinite time, must be rendered by ‘wenn’ (compare S. 4, N. 2); Note 7 · The Supine is used to express purpose, and must be employed whenever the English ‘to’ is used in the meaning of ‘in order to’, or ‘for the pNote 4 · When he was appointed (see N. 7). The verbs machen (to make), ernennen (to appoint), and erwählen (to choose, to elect), and other verbs denNote 1 · Friedrich Wilhelm Herschel (später Sir William Herschel) wurde am 15ᵗᵉⁿ Nov. 1738 in Hannover geboren. Er kam als Musiker nach England, bescNote 2 · This passage requires a different construction in German, thus: ‘When Sir W. H. was still officiating (fungie´ren, see S. 32, N. 11) in the Note 3 · close at hand, ganz in der Nähe, which place before the object.Note 4 · die vielbegehrenden Müßiggänger; to admit of something, etwas gestatten, w. v. tr.Note 5 · hinaus´schlüpfen.Note 6 · Spiegel, m.Note 7 · Schleifen, n.Note 8 · das Zeichen zum Anfangen.Note 9 · when — ready, so war er auch schon bereit; to snatch up, ergreifen, see S. 1, N. 2.Note 10 · and — first = and as the first to take (ein´nehmen) his place.Note 11 · Thus — time = Thus (So, adv.) he used every spare-moment; the spare-moment, der freie Augenblick.Note 12 · ‘monarch’, here Fürst.Note 13 · zum ersten Astronomen seiner Zeit.