men of invention and industry-第68节

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Guildford；　desired　to　see　these　drawings；　and　after　expressing

his　satisfaction　with　them；　he　sent　them　to　Mr。　Christie；

Astronomer　Royal；　Greenwich。　　Although　photographs　of　the　solar

surface　were　preferred；　Mr。　Capron　thought　that　my　sketches　might

supply　gaps　in　the　partially　cloudy　days；　as　well　as　details

which　might　not　appear　on　the　photographic　plates。　　I　received　a

very　kind　letter　from　Mr。　Christie；　in　which　he　said　that　it

would　be　very　difficult　to　make　the　results　obtained　from

drawings；　however　accurate；　at　all　comparable　with　those　derived

from　photographs；　especially　as　regards　the　accurate　size　of　the

spots　as　compared　with　the　diameter　of　the　sun。　　And　no　doubt　he

is　right。



〃What；　do　I　suppose；　is　the　cause　of　these　spots　in　the　sun？　

Well；　that　is　a　very　difficult　question　to　answer。　　Changes　are

constantly　going　on　at　the　sun's　surface；　or；　I　may　rather　say；

in　the　sun's　interior；　and　making　themselves　apparent　at　the

surface。　　Sometimes　they　go　on　with　enormous　activity；　at　other

times　they　are　more　quiet。　　They　recur　alternately　in　periods　of

seven　or　eight　weeks；　while　these　again　are　also　subject　to　a

period　of　about　eleven　yearsthat　is；　the　short　recurring

outbursts　go　on　for　some　years；　when　they　attain　a　maximum；　from

which　they　go　on　decreasing。　　I　may　say　that　we　are　now　（August

1883）　at；　or　very　near；　a　maximum　epoch。　　There　is　no　doubt　that

this　period　has　an　intimate　connection　with　our　auroral　displays；

but　I　don't　think　that　the　influence　sun…spots　have　on　light　or

heat　is　perceptible。　　Whatever　influence　they　possess　would　be

felt　alike　on　the　whole　terrestrial　globe。　　We　have　wet；　dry；

cold；　and　warm　years；　but　they　are　never　general。　　The　kind　of

season　which　prevails　in　one　country　is　often　quite　reversed　in

another　perhaps　in　the　adjacent　one。　　Not　so　with　our　auroral

displays。　　They　are　universal　on　both　sides　of　the　globe；　and

from　pole　to　pole　the　magnetic　needle　trembles　during　their

continuance。　　Some　authorities　are　of　opinion　that　these

eleven…year　cycles　are　subject　to　a　larger　cycle；　but　sun…spot

observations　have　not　existed　long　enough　to　determine　this

point。　　For　myself；　I　have　a　great　difficulty　in　forming　an

opinion。　　I　have　very　little　doubt　that　the　spots　are　depressions

on　the　surface　of　the　sun。　　This　is　more　apparent　when　the　spot

is　on　the　limb。　　I　have　often　seen　the　edge　very　rugged　and

uneven　when　groups　of　large　spots　were　about　to　come　round　on　the

east　side。　　I　have　communicated　some　of　my　observations　to　'The

Observatory；'　the　monthly　review　of　astronomy；　edited　by　Mr。

Christie；　now　Astronomer　Royal；＇2＇　as　well　as　to　The　Scotsmam；

and　some　of　our　local　papers。＇3＇



〃I　have　also　taken　up　the　observation　of　variable　stars　in　a

limited　portion　of　the　heavens。　　That；　and　'hunting　for　comets'

is　about　all　the　real　astronomical　work　that　an　amateur　can　do

nowadays　in　our　climate；　with　a　three…inch　telescope。　　I　am

greatly　indebted　to　the　Earl　of　Crawford　and　Balcarres；　who

regularly　sends　me　circulars　of　all　astronomical　discoveries；

both　in　this　and　foreign　countries。　　I　will　give　an　instance　of

the　usefulness　of　these　circulars。　　On　the　morning　of　the　4th　of

October；　1880；　a　comet　was　discovered　by　Hartwig；　of　Strasburg；

in　the　constellation　of　Corona。　　He　telegraphed　it　to　Dunecht

Observatory；　fifteen　miles　from　Aberdeen。　　The　circulars

announcing　the　discovery　were　printed　and　despatched　by　post　to

various　astronomers。　　My　circular　reached　me　by　7　P。M。；　and；　the

night　being　favourable；　I　directed　my　telescope　upon　the　part　of

the　heavens　indicated；　and　found　the　comet　almost　at　oncethat

is；　within　fifteen　hours　of　the　date　of　its　discovery　at

Strasburg。



〃In　April；　1878；　a　large　meteor　was　observed　in　broad　daylight；

passing　from　south　to　north；　and　falling　it　was　supposed；　about

twenty　miles　south　of　Ballater。　　Mr。　A。　S。　Herschel；　Professor　of

Physics　in　the　College　of　Science；　'Newcastle…on…Tyne；　published

a　letter　in　The　Scotsmam；　intimating　his　desire　to　be　informed　of

the　particulars　of　the　meteor's　flight　by　those　who　had　seen　it。　

As　I　was　one　of　those　who　had　observed　the　splendid　meteor　flash

northwards　almost　under　the　face　of　the　bright　sun　（at　10。25

A。M）；　I　sent　the　Professor　a　full　account　of　what　I　had　seen；　for

which　he　professed　his　strong　obligations。　　This　led　to　a　very

pleasant　correspondence　with　Professor　Herschel。　　After　this；　I

devoted　considerable　attention　to　meteors；　and　sent　many

contributions　to　'The　Observatory'　on　the　subject。＇4＇



〃You　ask　me　what　are　the　hours　at　which　I　make　my　observations？　

I　am　due　at　the　railway　station　at　six　in　the　morning；　and　I

leave　at　six　in　the　evening；　but　I　have　two　hours　during　the　day

for　meals　and　rest。　　Sometimes　I　get　a　glance　at　the　heavens　in

the　winter　mornings　when　the　sky　is　clear；　hunting　for　comets。　

My　observations　on　the　sun　are　usually　made　twice　a　day　during　my

meal　hours；　or　in　the　early　morning　or　late　at　evening　in　summer；

while　the　sun　is　visible。　　Yes；　you　are　right；　I　try　and　make　the

best　use　of　my　time。　　It　is　much　too　short　for　all　that　I　propose

to　do。　　My　evenings　are　my　own。　　When　the　heavens　are　clear；　I

watch　them；　when　obscured；　there　are　my　books　and　letters。



〃Dr。　Alexander　Brown；　of　Arbroath；　is　one　of　my　correspondents。　

I　have　sent　him　my　drawings　of　the　rings　of　Saturn；　of　Jupiter's

belt　and　satellites。　　Dr。　Ralph　Copeland；　of　Dunecht；　is　also　a

very　good　friend　and　adviser。　　Occasionally；　too；　I　send　accounts

of　solar　disturbances；　comet　a　within　sight；　eclipses；　and

occultations；　to　the　Scotsman；　the　Dundee　Evening　Telegraph　and

Evening　News；　or　to　the　Blairgowrie　Advertiser。　　Besides；　I　am

the　local　observer　of　meteorology；　and　communicate　regularly　with

Mr。　Symons。　　These　things　entirely　fill　up　my　time。



〃Do　I　intend　always　to　remain　a　railway　porter？　　Oh；　yes；　I　am

very　comfortable！　The　company　are　very　kind　to　me；　and　I　hope　I

serve　them　faithfully。　　It　is　true　Sheriff　Barclay　has；　without

my　knowledge；　recommended　me　to　several　well…known　astronomers　as

an　observer。　　But　at　my　time　of　life　changes　are　not　to　be

desired。　　I　am　quite　satisfied　to　go　on　as　I　am　doing。　　My　young

people　are　growing　up；　and　are　willing　to　work　for　themselves。　

But　come；　sir；〃　he　concluded；　〃come　into　the　garden；　and　look　at

the　moon　through　my　telescope。〃



We　went　into　the　garden　accordingly；　but　a　cloud　was　over　the

moon；　and　we　could　not　see　it。　　At　the　top　of　the　garden　was　the

self…registering　barometer；　the　pitcher　to　measure　the　rainfall；

and　the　other　apparatus　necessary　to　enable　the　〃Diagram　of

barometer；　thermometer；　rain；　and　wind〃　to　be　conducted；　so　far

as　Coupar　Angus　is　concerned。　　This　Mr。　Robertson　has　done　for

four　years　past。　　As　the　hour　was　late；　and　as　I　knew　that　my

entertainer　must　be　up　by　six　next　morning；　I　took　my　leave。



A　man's　character　often　exhibits　itself　in　his　amusements。　　One

must　have　a　high　respect　for　the　character　of　John　Robertson；　who

looks　at　the　manner　in　which　he　spends　his　spare　time。　　His

astronomical　work　is　altogether　a　labour　of　love。　　It　is　his

hobby；　and　the　working　man　may　have　his　hobby　as　well　as　the

rich。　　In　his　case　he　is　never　less　idle　than　when　idle。　　Some

may　think　that　he　is　casting　his　bread　upon　the　waters；　and　that

he　may　find　it　after　many　days。　　But　it　is　not　with　this　object

that　he　carries　on　his　leisure…hour　pursuits。　　Some　have　tried

sheriff　Barclay　among　others＇5＇to　obtain　appointments　for　him

in　connection　with　astronomical　observation；　others　to　secure

advancement　for　him　in　his　own　line。　　But　he　is　a　man　who　is

satisfied　with　his　lotone　of　the　rarest　things　on　earth。　

Perhaps　it　is　by　looking　so　much　up　to　the　heavens　that　he　has

been　enabled　to　obtain　his　portion　of　contentment。



Next　morning　I　found　him　busy　at　the　station；　making　arrangements

for　the　departure　of　the　passenger　train　for　Perth；　and　evidently

upon　the　best　of　terms　with　everybody。　　And　here　I　leave　John

Robertson；　the　contented　Coupar　Angus　astronomer。



Some　years　ago　I　received　from　my　friend　Mr。　Nasmyth　a　letter　of

introduction　to　the　late　Mr。　Cooke　of　York；　while　the　latter　was

still　living。　　I　did　not　present　it　at　the　time；　but　I　now

proposed　to　visit；　on　my　return　homewards；　the　establishment

which　he　had　founded　at　York　for　the　manufacture　of　telescopes

and　other　optical　instruments。　　Indeed；　what　a　man　may　do　for

himself　as　well　as　for　science；　cannot　be　better　illustrated　than

by　the　life　of　this　remarkable　man。



Mr。　Nasmyth　says　that　he　had　an　account　from　Cooke　himself　of　his

small　beginnings。　　He　was　originally　a　shoemaker　in　a　small

country　village。　　Many　a　man　has　risen　to　distinction　from　a

shoemaker's　seat。　　Bulwer；　in　his　'What　will　He　do　with　It？'　has

discussed　the　difference　between　shoemakers　and　tailors。　　〃The

one　is　thrown　upon　his　own　resources；　the　other　works　in　the