John Herschel entered St. John's College, Cambridge, when he was
seventeen years of age. His university career abundantly fulfilled
his father's eager desire, that his only son should develop a
capacity for the pursuit of science. After obtaining many lesser
distinctions, he finally came out as Senior Wrangler in 1813. It
was, indeed, a notable year in the mathematical annals of the
University. Second on that list, in which Herschel's name was first,
appeared that of the illustrious Peacock, afterwards Dean of Ely, who
remained throughout life one of Herschel's most intimate friends.

Almost immediately after taking his degree, Herschel gave evidence of
possessing a special aptitude for original scientific investigation.
He sent to the Royal Society a mathematical paper which was published
in the PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. Doubtless the splendour that
attached to the name he bore assisted him in procuring early
recognition of his own great powers. Certain it is that he was made
a Fellow of the Royal Society at the unprecedentedly early age of
twenty-one. Even after this remarkable encouragement to adopt a
scientific career as the business of his life, it does not seem that
John Herschel at first contemplated devoting himself exclusively to
science. He commenced to prepare for the profession of the Law by
entering as a student at the Middle Temple, and reading with a
practising barrister.

But a lawyer John Herschel was not destined to become. Circumstances
brought him into association with some leading scientific men. He
presently discovered that his inclinations tended more and more in
the direction of purely scientific pursuits. Thus it came to pass
that the original intention as to the calling which he should follow