Page:Hector Macpherson - Herschel (1919).djvu/19

Rh of music—in which he was greatly aided by his friend, Dr. Miller, organist at Doncaster, who advised him to compete for the post of organist at Halifax. In his memorandum for 7th March, 1766, Herschel states that the "Messiah" was performed at a private club of chorus singers in Halifax, where it was agreed to rehearse the same oratorio every other Friday in order to perform it in the church at the opening of a new organ erected there. "... I was a candidate for the place of organist, which, by the interest of the Messrs. Bates and many musical families I attended, I had great hopes to obtain". On 30th August, 1766, he was unanimously chosen as organist, but he had already been asked to allow himself to be nominated as organist of the Octagon Chapel at Bath, where a new organ was in process of erection. On 30th November, he played the organ at Halifax for the last time, and notes: "For the thirteen Sundays of my being organist, I was paid thirteen guineas". On 9th December he arrived at Bath; and on 4th October, 1767, the Octagon Chapel was opened, with Herschel as organist. He now entered on a busy and successful musical career. Pupils flocked to him, and sometimes his lessons numbered thirty-five a week. In addition, he composed anthems and psalm-tunes. Under the date 28th March, 1767, he noted, "Taken a house from 25th March to 29th September in Beaufort Square". Herschel had at last a settled home in England.

In his diary, under the date 5th April, Herschel notes: "Went into mourning for the death of my father". The vicissitudes through which the family passed have been graphically described by Caroline, who was, at her father's death, a girl of seventeen. From her earliest years, Caroline had two objects of idolatry—her father and her "dear brother William"—"the best and dearest of brothers". Her mother was unimaginative and unsympathetic, without interest in intellectual or