Herschel had other points
in his favour besides his professional skill; his appearance was
good, his address was prepossessing, and even his nationality was a
distinct advantage, inasmuch as he was a Hanoverian in the reign of
King George the Third. On Sundays he played the organ, to the great
delight of the congregation, and on week-days he was occupied by
giving lessons to private pupils, and in preparation for public
performances. He thus came to be busily employed, and seems to have
been in the enjoyment of comfortable means.
[PLATE: 7, NEW KING STREET, BATH, WHERE HERSCHEL LIVED.]
From his earliest youth Herschel had been endowed with that
invaluable characteristic, an eager curiosity for knowledge. He was
naturally desirous of perfecting himself in the theory of music, and
thus he was led to study mathematics. When he had once tasted the
charms of mathematics, he saw vast regions of knowledge unfolded
before him, and in this way he was induced to direct his attention to
astronomy. More and more this pursuit seems to have engrossed his
attention, until at last it had become an absorbing passion. Herschel
was, however, still obliged, by the exigency of procuring a
livelihood, to give up the best part of his time to his profession as
a musician; but his heart was eagerly fixed on another science, and
every spare moment was steadily devoted to astronomy.
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