have been told by members of his family, truly stated--that on one
occasion, after he had been shown over some large works in the north
of England, the proprietor bluntly said that he was greatly in want
of a foreman, and would indeed be pleased if his visitor, who had
evinced such extraordinary capacity for mechanical operations, would
accept the post. Lord Rosse produced his card, and gently explained
that he was not exactly the right man, but he appreciated the
compliment, and this led to a pleasant dinner, and was the basis of a
long friendship.

I remember on one occasion hearing Lord Rosse explain how it was that
he came to devote his attention to astronomy. It appears that when
he found himself in the possession of leisure and of means, he
deliberately cast around to think how that means and that leisure
could be most usefully employed. Nor was it surprising that he
should search for a direction which would offer special scope for his
mechanical tastes. He came to the conclusion that the building of
great telescopes was an art which had received no substantial advance
since the great days of William Herschel. He saw that to construct
mighty instruments for studying the heavens required at once the
command of time and the command of wealth, while he also felt that
this was a subject the inherent difficulties of which would tax to
the uttermost whatever mechanical skill he might possess. Thus it
was he decided that the construction of great telescopes should
become the business of his life.

[PLATE: BIRR CASTLE.

PLATE: THE MALL, PARSONSTOWN.]