The Cradle of the
Grand Amateur
Public Astronomical Lectures in Eighteenth Century Britain
Hsiang‐Fu Huang
The Harmony of the Sphere workshop
20 May 2011 Abstract
Public lectures on Newtonian philosophy started in the beginning
of the eighteenth century. These lectures tried to popularize
Newtonian philosophy by the demonstration of experiments
without abstruse mathematics. Itinerant lecturers delivered
discourses with peculiar apparatus in a variety of venues. Public
philosophical lectures gradually formed a marketplace in tight
association with instrument-making trade as well as publishing.
Astronomy was one of the fashionable topics among philosophical
lectures. By demonstrating celestial phenomena with visual aids
such as orreries and globes, the popularity of astronomy had
significantly grown in society throughout the eighteenth century.
Along with the very unique tradition of grand amateurs and
gentleman scientists in Britain, public astronomy business played
a significant role in the development of British astronomy.
Outlines
Part I The Stage
1.1 Public philosophical lectures in the Enlightenment
1.2 Material culture: the display of visual aids
Part II Grand Amateurs
2.1 The grand amateur tradition in British astronomy
2.2 The Herschels: a model of the grand amateur
Conclusion: A Cradle
Part I
The Stage
1.1 Public philosophical lectures in the Enlightenment
Newton’s followers tried to popularize Newtonian
philosophy without abstruse mathematics.
Pioneer: John Harris, delivered a series of public
lectures covering mathematics and machinery in London
from 1698-1707 (Stewart 1992)
The first public lecture titled ‘natural philosophy’: James
Hodgson, the colleague and successor of Harris in the
Royal Society, in 1705 (Morton and Wess 1993)
“
For the advancement of Natural Philosophy and Astronomy, as
well as for the benefit of all such Curious and Inquisitive
Gentlemen as are willing to lay the best and surest Foundation for
all useful Knowledge. There is provided Engines for Rarafying and
Condensing Air, with all their Appurtenances, (according to Mr.
Hauksbee’ s Improvements) Microscopes of the best Contrivance,
Telescope of a convenient length, with Micrometers adapted to
them, Prisms, Barometers, Thermometers, and Utensils proper for
Hydrostatical Experiments, in order to prove the Weight and
Elasticity of the Air, its usefulness in the Propagation of Sounds
and Conservation of Life […]
”
James Hodgson, in Daily Courant, No. 855 (11 January 1705)
An Account of Hydrostatical & Pneumatical Experiments, James Hodgson and Francis Hauksbee (1715)
Most of the important figures of early philosophical
lectures were associated with the Royal Society. (e.g.
Hodgson, Hauksbee, J. T. Desaguliers)
Later philosophical lecturers were less associated with
the RS. Some were disciples of Desaguliers (e.g. Stephen
Demainbray); some were self-educated (e.g. James
Ferguson, Benjamin Martin); some were master craftsmen
(e.g. George Adams Sr. and Jr.) (Millburn 1973; King 1978;
Morton and Wess 1993)
The venue and the size of philosophical lectures were
varied. Itinerate lecturers moved from town to town; in a big
city like London, business competitions among peers
gradually formed. (Morton and Wess 1993; Elliott 2000)
A Philosopher giving that Lecture on the
Orrery, in which a lamp is put in place of
the Sun, Joseph Wright of Derby, oil on
the canvas (1766)
Illustration from The Young Gentleman
and Lady’s Philosophy, Benjamin Martin
(1759)
1.2 Material culture: display of visual aids
The desire among the growing middle class to improve
their social status by the ‘pursuit of politeness’ led to a
demand for instruments as well as instruction; close
collaboration between Instrument-orientated lectures and
instrument-making trade gave the supply. (King 1978;
Walters 1992, 1997)
Visual aids were used in astronomy discourses: globes
and orreries (planetariums)
Orrery: a mechanical clockwork model demonstrating
the solar system. It may have a variety of complexity and
specificity; being driven manually or by gears.
Portable orrery designed by Benjamin Martin, from The description
and use of an orrery of a new construction (1771)
A basic set of lunarium made by
William Harris (ca 1790-1810). National
Maritime Museum/Royal Observatory
Greenwich (item number AST1061)
A basic set of planetarium made by
W. & S. Jones (after 1781). National
Maritime Museum/Royal Observatory
Greenwich (item number AST1062)
A special type of orrery emphasizing Saturn system, made by
William Lacy (1779). National Maritime Museum/Royal Observatory
Greenwich (item number AST1066)
“
THOSE Gentlemen and Ladies who delight in the Study of
Astronomy and Geography, will, by seeing this Grand Machine,
comprehend at one View the Reason of the several phenomena,
or Appearances, in the Heavens, resulting from the various
Motions of the Bodies which compose this Solar System; and will
edify more from a few Lectures, than by a Year’ s close
Application to Study.
William Deane, The description of the Copernican system, with the
theory of the planets (1738)
“
”
This one Consideration should incite any numerous Family of
Distinction to have an Orrery as necessarily as they would have
a Clock. This one engine would open a new Scene to their
Imaginations, and a whole Train of useful Inferences concerning
the Weather and the Seasons, which are now from Stupidity the
Subjects of Discourse, would raise a pleasing, an obvious, an
useful, and an elegant Conversation.
Richard Steele, in The Englishman (1714)
”
Part II
Grand Amateurs
2.1 The grand amateur tradition in British astronomy
Learned societies played an important role in the
development and increased popularity of British science.
Examples include:
Royal Society (1660)
Lunar Society of Birmingham (ca 1760s)
Derby Philosophical Society (1783)
Royal Astronomical Society (1820)
The entrance of the Royal
Astronomical Society today
at Burlington House.
An adequate professional salary not supplemented by
perquisites (e.g. teaching, clerical) did not exist in British
astronomy until 1835, when George Biddell Airy was
appointed Astronomer Royal. (Chapman 1998)
The astronomical community in Britain was dominated
by gentlemen and players. This tradition even remained in
Victorian Britain: A private society (RAS) formed by
amateurs took the initiative in making a government
department work properly.
“
An inheritance, a wife, a benefice, or a brewery.
”
Chapman, the chapter title of The Victorian Amateur Astronomer (1998)
“
It is not my fault, however, if I feel much less sanguine […] to the
possibility of maintaining and holding together such a body
[central and presiding power], could it be constituted and brought
into action, in a country like this where freedom of action and
independence of thought are so highly prized and so
energetically asserted on all occasions.
”
John Herschel to W. V. Harcourt, 5 September 1831. In Morrell and
Thackray (1984), letters no. 37, pp. 55-7.
“
I see nothing in an overwhelming mass of mediocrity which can
direct or stimulate or encourage those who would naturally lead
the way without them, but much to embarrass and distract, and
retard them in their progress. Perfect spontaneous freedom of
thought is the essence of scientific progress.
John Herschel to William Whewell, 20 September 1831. In Morrell
and Thackray (1984), letters no. 46, pp. 66-8.
”
2.2 The Herschels: a model of the grand amateur
William Herschel
(1738-1822)
John Herschel (1792-1871)
Caroline Herschel
(1750-1848)
Bath in the late 18th century: a fashionable, leisured city
which was prosperous by its therapeutic mineral water and
hot spring. Richard Warner described this city in the earlymid 19th century: “The Temple of elegant Pleasures where
the rites of the goddess were better systematised, and her
laws more rigidly obeyed, than in any other spot within His
Majesty’s dominions.” (Turner 1977)
The Assembly at the Pump Room,
Bath. Painted by John Sanders
(1750-1825), oil on the canvas.
After William settled down in Bath, he
began to nurse his interest in astronomy. He
might attend James Ferguson’s astronomy
lectures between 1767 and 1773. He
purchased a copy of Ferguson’s popular
book Astronomy Explained upon Sir Isaac
Newton’s Principles (first published in 1756)
on 10 May 1773. (Henderson 1867; Turner
1977; Holmes 2008)
James Ferguson (1710-1776), famous
astronomer, lecturer, and instrument
maker at his time.
Road to fame: a grand amateur’s history
1766
William Herschel was offered an organ post and moved to Bath; he
started his first astronomical observational journal by this year.
1767
William likely attended James Ferguson’s astronomy lectures in the
Pump Room at Bath. (Henderson 1867; Holmes 2008)
1772
Caroline moved to join William’s household from Hanover, and since
then became William’s astronomy assistant.
1779
Invited by Watson the junior, William joined Bath Philosophical Society
and began submitting papers. Watson the junior introduced Herschel
to his father, Sir William Watson, the secretary of the Royal Society.
1780
William’s paper ‘Observations on the Mountains of the Moon’ first
published in Philosophical Transactions.
Nevil Maskelyne, the Astronomer Royal, visited William in Bath, and
reported this visit to Joseph Banks, the President of the Royal Society.
1781
William discovered ‘Georgium Sidus’ (Uranus).
1782
William was appointed as ‘The King’s Astronomer’ by George III, and
received subsequent grant from the king to his scientific project
(construction of the 40-foot telescope).
1788
William married Mary Pitt, who was a wealthy widow and the
Herschels’ neighbor in Slough.
1792
John Herschel was born.
Conclusion
A Cradle
Conclusion: A Cradle
The simultaneous growth of the philosophical lecturing
and the instrument-making trade in eighteenth century
Britain was pushed by raising middle class people along
with their material wealth and fashionable politeness pursuit.
Astronomy was an important subject in such public
philosophical lectures. Many visual aids, like orreries, were
used in these astronomy discourses. It improved the
popularity of astronomy in contemporary society.
The development of British astronomy was dominated
by gentlemen and amateurs; this trend even remained in
the Victorian era. By and large, the popularity of public
astronomy discourses established a solid cradle for the
grand amateurs.
References
Chapman, Allan (1998). The Victorian Amateur Astronomer: Independent Astronomical
Research in Britain 1820-1920. John Wiley & Sons.
Elliott, Paul (2000). The Birth of Public Science in the English Provinces: Natural Philosophy
in Derby, c. 1690-1760. Annuals of Science 57: 1, 61-100.
Henderson, E. (1867). Life of James Ferguson in a brief Autobiographical Account, and
further Extended Memoir. Edinburgh, London, & Glasgow.
Holmes, Richard (2008). The Age of Wonder. Harper Press.
King, Henry C. (1978). Geared to the Stars: the evolution of planetariums, orreries and
astronomical clocks. University of Toronto Press.
Millburn, John R. (1973). Benjamin Martin and the Development of the Orrery. The British
Journal for the History of Science 6: 378-99.
Morton, A. Q. and Wess, J. A. (1993). Public and Private Science: The King George III
Collection. Oxford University Press.
Morrell, J. and Thackray, A. (1984). Gentlemen of Science: Early Correspondence of the
British Association for the Advancement of Science. Royal Historical Society.
References (cont.)
Stewart, Larry (1992). The Rise of Public Science: Rhetoric, Technology, and natural
Philosophy in Newtonian Britain, 1660-1750. Cambridge University Press.
Turner, A. J. (1977). Science and Music in Eighteenth Century Bath: An Exhibition in the
Holburne of Menstrie Museum, Bath, 22 September 1977 – 29 December 1977. University
of Bath.
Walters, Alice N. (1992). Tools of Enlightenment: The material culture of science in
eighteenth-century England. Ph.D., Dissertation, University of California, Berkeley,
Department of History.
Walters, Alice N. (1997). Conversation Pieces: Science and Politeness in EighteenthCentury England. History of Science 35: 121-54.