though the admiration and friendship of the poet for the astronomer are well known, it contains mistakes in dates, otherwise ascertained. "He was master of the band of a regiment which was quartered at Halifax in the year 1770" may be true, but "where he continued for many years" cannot be correct. It may also be true, though it seems to conflict with Southey's story, that he obtained the post of organist for the newly erected organ in that town through the influence of Joah Bates, son of the parish clerk. The story then proceeds: "Disliking the monotony of a country town, he removed with his brother to Bath, where they were both engaged for the Pump-room band by the late Mr. Linley, who then conducted the first musical entertainments established in that city, and where the delightful warblings of his siren daughters, Mrs. Sheridan and Mrs. Tickel, will ever be remembered. Sir William was, like his nephew Griesbach, esteemed an excellent performer on the oboe, as his brother was on the violoncello."
This connection of Linley with Herschel is not referred to by Caroline in her Memoirs, But it derives importance from the fact that, according to her testimony, there were, or seem to have been, disagreeable passages between them. At any rate there is good reason to believe that Herschel did not remove from Halifax to Bath, as has generally been given out, to become organist in the Octagon Chapel in 1766. "The Chapel was built in 1766, and opened for divine service in December 1767." Herschel had been more than a year in Bath at that time; he had also been giving concerts on his own account, as his sister gives us distinctly to understand, and on January 3, 1767, he returns thanks, through the Bath Chronicle, to the company who did him the honour of attending his concert.[1] He informs them at the same time that he teaches the guitar as well as singing, and takes
- ↑ I am indebted for these facts to the kindness of Mr. Sturge Cotterell, of Bath.
