Another visit paid by Herschel was to Paris at the commencement of the shortlived peace of Amiens in 1801. From the brief notes preserved in his sister's Memoirs it appears that, on July 13, "my brother, Mrs. H., my nephew John, and Miss Baldwin left Slough to go to Paris." The next entry is, "Aug. 25th.—All returned with my nephew dangerously ill. Going daily for some hours to work at the Observatory, and to receive visitors and letters, had not hastened my recovery, for it required no less than seven months before I could be without the attendance of Dr. Pope." During these weeks of holiday in France, Herschel had opportunities of renewing or strengthening the friendly feelings with which the astronomers of that country, during an age of great hostility between the two nations, regarded the labours of their English brethren. They had shown their esteem for him in particular by choosing him as a member of the Institute, one of the highest honours that could be bestowed on a man of science. But his visit was made more remarkable by an interview with Napoleon Buonaparte, who was then First Consul, and afterwards Emperor. Twelve years later he gave an account of it to Thomas Campbell, the poet, who met him at Brighton, and thus records the story:[1]—
"I was anxious to get from him as many particulars as I could about his interview with Buonaparte. The latter, it was reported, had astonished him by his astronomical knowledge.
"'No,' he said; 'the First Consul did surprise me by his quickness and versatility on all subjects; but in
- ↑ Beattie's Life of Campbell, ii. 234, 235, 239.
