RACE FOR RICHES OR FOR FAME? 31 



the same, intercourse with fashionable young ladies in 

 London did not give her a high opinion of them or 

 their attainments, " she thought them very little better 

 than idiots." 



About three years after his daughter's marriage, 

 Linley withdrew from Bath. His place was supplied 

 by William Herschel, who, to quote Niemeyer's words, 

 " led the band at the theatre, conducted oratorios, and 

 instructed some able pupils in that city." At that time 

 " the Bath orchestra and its pump-room performances 

 were the theme of general commendation in England," 

 and to maintain the same standard of excellence, especi- 

 ally after the Misses Linley 's retirement, entailed heavy 

 and unremitting labour on the new director. Whether 

 Herschel entertained the idea or not that he might 

 succeed with his sister Caroline as Linley had succeeded 

 with his two daughters may be open to doubt, but it is 

 unquestionable that he had it in his power to make the 

 trial, and that he did bring her out as a public singer. 

 The gains of success were large and tempting. Miss 

 Linley, now Mrs. Sheridan, was offered a seven years' 

 engagement in London at a thousand a year for twelve 

 nights' singing, and as much more for a benefit. Success 

 held out such dazzling prospects, that the certainty of 

 failure could alone have prevented Herschel from per- 

 severing in his attempt to train his sister as a pro- 

 fessional singer. And he did not persevere. The lot of 

 Caroline Herschel was not destined to be that of a public 

 singer ; it was to be the lot of a woman of science at a 

 time when few of her sex could aspire to that honour- 

 able rank. Had William Herschel succeeded in turning 

 out his sister as a public singer, or in placing her on 

 the throne vacated by Miss Linley, would his race for 



