The Herschels and Modern Astronomy.

One of the great victorian science popularisers. First edition of this biographical work on the astronomers William, Caroline, and John Herschel by 'one of the great popularisers of science of the Victorian period' (Ogilvie, Biographical Dictionary of Women in Science, p. 270). Copies are uncommon in such nice examples of the publisher's binding.

Author Agnes Mary Clerke (1842-1907) was taught at home by her scholarly parents and, 'by the age of eleven she had mastered Herschel's Outlines of Astronomy (Ogilvie). Settling in London in 1877, she pursued a career as a writer, producing a remarkable body of work. Clerke 'possessed the rare ability to communicate clearly the complexities of scientific theory to a popular audience, while synthesising masses of astronomical information into a coherent whole for professional scientists, who had become so specialised that they could not see the larger connection between their work and other current discoveries in astronomy'. (Ogilvie). Though she never held a position at a university or observatory, Clerke gained 'partial admission' to the male-dominated world of astronomy. She had an extensive correspondence with other astronomers, was awarded the Actonian Prize by the Royal Institution, and in 1903 was elected an honorary member of the Royal Society.

First edition; 8vo; portrait frontispiece and 2 plates, light spotting to the edges of the text block and occasionally the contents; original green cloth, titles to spine and upper board gilt, tiny bump to the edge of the upper board, cloth very lightly rubbed at the extremities, very good condition, the cloth fresh; 224pp.