Page:Sir William Herschel, his life and works (1881).djvu/40

18 A slender outfit truly; but we are not to overlook what he said of himself on another occasion. "I have, nevertheless, several resources in view, and do not despair of succeeding pretty well in the end."

From 1757 to 1760—three years—we know nothing of his life. We can imagine what it was. His previous visit to England had given him a good knowledge of the language, and perhaps a few uninfluential acquaintances. On his return he would naturally seek these out, and, by means of his music, he could gain a livelihood. We first hear of him as charged with the organization of the music of a corps of the militia of Durham, under the auspices of the. "La manière dont il remplit cette mission, le fit connaître avantageusement." The nature of the service of these militia corps, which were then forming all over England, is well described in the Autobiography of Author:Edward Gibbon. Every county-gentleman felt constrained to serve his country,