with relish, but did not particularly distinguish himself in them. When fifteen years of age, on the 1st of January, 1799, he began his apprenticeship to the merchant's career in a large commercial house of Bremen, with a good-will. No one, and himself least of all, would have dreamed then of his ever becoming celebrated. He was not at all ambitious, and did not even seem to care to put himself in advance of his colleagues. The only thing to remark about him was the conscientiousness with which he did his work. After this was done, he would recreate himself by poring over old books, trying to make himself familiar with all branches of commerce, and studying particularly maritime commerce, in which he was specially interested. He was thinking about his future, and perceived early that, to make his fortune, he would have to try his lot across the sea, for he had no means wherewith to establish himself.
The object of his desire at this time was to be able, as agent of one of the great houses of Bremen or Hamburg, to direct a commercial expedition to the Indies or China. With this purpose he diligently studied English and French, and then bethought himself of what else might be useful to him in the career he wished to embrace. Till this time we see in his conduct no evidence of a disposition toward astronomy. He was simply seeking to become a good merchant, and all his efforts, day and night, were directed to that end. He was in heart a merchant, and in course of becoming one, and yet we can not doubt that there was developing in him at the very time the tendency which was to lead him to the science of the sky.
In the course of the studies of which we have spoken, it occurred to him that a ship-factor, such as he was going to be, undertaking long voyages, and playing so prominent a part on the ship, ought to know a little of the way in which it was to be directed. He had heard that a new art had been discovered—that of sailing in the open sea by observation of the stars, the moon, and the sun. Although the sailors of the period cared to learn nothing of this new art, Bessel hoped that by becoming master of it he might make himself respected by his future captain. It was necessary to procure a sextant; but that was beyond the means of our clerk, so he made one for himself, and assiduously took observations of the stars with it. He determined the latitude and longitude of Bremen, as if he had been on board his vessel. Thus, at nineteen years of age, he had set foot in the astronomical field. He never left it, but delved in it more and more, though without neglecting his commercial studies. He made his astronomical recreations the occupation of his evening hours. It is with astronomy as with love—the smallest spark is enough to kindle a lasting fire, if only the subject is inflammable. This was what happened with Bessel, and the flame that was lighted in his spirit was never extinguished.
The young man had read in his new book how, from the observa-
