22 HERSCHEL AND HIS WORK 



they seem to have been, appear to have viewed his 



ahility as cynic-ally iw it was vi-\\v.l in Kngland. 

 \\Y linir" Horace Walpolo writ.-s. - that tin- French 

 have recalled their ^rccn troops, \vhich In. I .-idxaneed 



and have ^. m their uidrst regiments ag 

 th.- Duke. Twelve tor, he says: Thi.s i 



the sole uneasiness at Kensington; they kn..\\ the 



mity of the Kr.-nrli to the Duke. ;ui'l think that 

 by this time th , have l-,-n an action: the 



suspense is not pleasant." Five weeks later came the 

 news, "We are in a piteous way! The French have 

 passed the Weser, and a courier brought word yester- 

 day that the Duke was marching towards them ; and 

 within five miles: by thi^ time his fate is decided." 



,:iorc, an-1 tidings came that "the Fi 

 attacked the Duke for three days together, and at last 



ird him: I find it is called at Kensington an 

 encounter of fourteen squadrons." It took place at 

 Hastenbeck near Hameln, on the Weser, the scene of 

 the Pied Piper's exploit. Whether an encounter or a 

 battle, it was fatal to the reputation of the Duk -, and 

 the English officers he had with him ; and it was fatal 

 to Hanover, which from first to last paid more than 

 two millions sterling to the victors. Above all, it was 

 fatal to William Herschel's soldiering ; for years also 

 it was fatal to his prospects in life, and to his peace of 

 mind as well as his sister's; but, at last, it was the 

 beginning of his endless fame. We can almost 

 sympathise with a deserter from such a general, 

 especially when he fled to his own King for pro- 

 tection, not to the enemies of his country. 



An anxious and far from sensible mother took 

 steps to save her delicate son. The French were 



