SIR WM. AND CAROLINE HERSCHEL. 85 



As Dr. Miller, a noted organist, " was dining at 

 Pontefract with the officers of the Durham militia, 

 one of them, knowing his love of music, told him 

 they had a young German in their band, as a per- 

 former on the oboe, who was also an excellent 

 performer on the violin. The officer added that if 

 Miller would come into another room, this German 

 should entertain him with a solo. The invitation 

 was gladly accepted, and Miller heard a solo of 

 Giardini's executed in a manner that surprised 

 him. 



"He afterwards took an opportunity of having 

 some private conversation with the young musician, 

 and asked him whether he had engaged himself 

 for any long period to the Durham militia. The 

 answer was, ' Only from month to month.' 



" ' Leave them, then,' said the organist, ' and 

 come and live with me. I am a single man, and 

 think we shall be happy together ; and doubtless 

 your merit will soon entitle you to a more eligible 

 situation.' 



"The offer was accepted as frankly as it was 

 made, and the reader may imagine with what satis- 

 faction Dr. Miller must have remembered this act 

 of generous feeling, when he heard that this young 

 German was Herschel, the astronomer. ^My 

 humble mansion,' says Miller, ' consisted at that 

 time but of two rooms. However, poor as I 

 was, my cottage contained a library of well chosen 

 books.' 



"He took an early opportunity of introducing 



