Fortunately for science, the arrival of the expected visitor did not take place under such untoward circumstances. As the commencement of the year 1759 approached, "astronomers," says Voltaire, "hardly went to bed at all." The honor, however, of the first glimpse of the stranger was not reserved for the possessors of scientific rank, nor for the members of academies or universities. On the night of Christmas-day, 1758, George Palitzch, of Politz, near Dresden,--"a peasant," says Sir John Herchel, "by station, an astronomer by nature," first saw the comet. An astronomer of Leipzic found it soon after; but, with the mean jealousy of a miser, he concealed his treasure, while his contemporaries throughout Europe were vainly directing their anxious search after it to other quarters of the heavens. At this time, Delisle, a French astronomer, and his assistant, Messier, who, from his unweared assiduity in the pursuit of comets, was called the _Comet-Hunter_, had been constantly engaged, for eighteen months, in watching for the return of Halley's comet. Messier passed his life in search of comets. It is related of him, that when he was in expectation of discovering a comet, his wife was taken ill and died. While attending on her, being withdrawn from his observatory, another astronomer anticipated him in the discovery. Messier was in despair. A friend, visiting him, began to offer some consolation for the recent affliction he had suffered. Messier, thinking only of the comet, exclaimed, "I had discovered twelve: alas, that I should be robbed of the thirteenth by Montague!"--and his eyes filled with tears. Then, remembering that it was necessary to mourn for his wife, whose remains were still in the house, he exclaimed, "Ah! this poor woman!" (_ah! cette pauvre femme_,) and again wept for his comet. We can easily imagine how eagerly such an enthusiast would watch for Halley's comet; and we could almost wish that it had been his good fortune to be the first to announce its arrival: but, being misled by a chart which directed his attention to the wrong part of the firmament, a whole month elapsed after its discovery by Palitzch, before he enjoyed the delightful spectacle.