CHAP, vii.] Concerning her Brother. 321 



of the G. Sidus, was called from his lucrative employment 

 at Bath. His friends had no other idea but that he was to 

 succeed Mr. De Mainborg at Kew. But it was otherwise 

 decreed, for the King was surrounded by some wiseacres who 

 knew how to bargain, and even 100 were offered if he 

 would go to Hanover ! 



But you know by what I once wrote on a former occasion 

 that he settled at Datchet with 200 per annum, after four 

 months' travelling between London, Greenwich, and Wind- 

 sor, and moving his workshop and instruments from a house 

 at Bath, of which he had a lease. And at Michaelmas, 

 1782, was the first 50 he ever saw of the King's money. 

 This happened at the time when Parliament had granted to 

 the King 80,000 a-year for encouraging sciences. This I 

 only knew by what I heard at that time, and that Mr. West, 

 R.A., with his giant Judas, Jervis, who made the altar-piece 

 for St. George's chapel (which I once heard Mrs. Beckedorff 

 say had cost the King 30,000), and Herschel, were the first 

 who benefited by this grant. 



I am full of expectation of W.'s promised description of 

 the Christmas entertainment ; but put him in mind that I 

 do not understand Latin. Of A's Greek, I think I can be a 

 judge, knowing the letters of the alphabet in consequence of 



their being used in the astronomical catalogues I 



hope music is still in favour with the family ; often I lament 

 that at the time of our quitting Bath in such a hurry my 

 brother's musical treasures were scattered, and given to the 

 winds. Among the rest there was a song for four voices, 

 " In thee I bear so dear a part," which was just going to be 

 published by desire, for it was sung by the first performers 

 from the London theatres, and encored, between the acts of 

 the oratorios. I wrote it out ready in parts during my 

 brother's absence ; but he could not find a moment to send 

 it off, nor to answer the printer's letters. 



Y 



