VISIT TO BUCKINGHAM PALACE 87 



satisfactory, came in so unsatisfactory a way, and were 

 so long in bearing fruit, that something was at work 

 behind the scenes delaying progress. It appeared that 

 the King's private astronomer, Mr. De Mainborg, was 

 dead. Herschel's friends imagined he was to succeed 

 to the vacant post at Kew, 1 for George ill. was known 

 for his patronage of astronomy long before he heard 

 of Herschel. In an observatory at Richmond, built 

 under the superintendence of Bevis, 140 feet long and 

 of two storeys, were several grand instruments made 

 by Sisson of London. 2 



Laden " with everything necessary for viewing 

 double stars," Herschel, accompanied by his friend, 

 Sir William Watson, left home on May 8. No letter 

 reached the anxious household at Bath for a fortnight. 

 At last Caroline and Alexander learned that "he had 

 been introduced to the King and Queen, and had 

 permission to come to the concerts at Buckingham 

 House, where the King conversed with him about 

 astronomy." He was also so favoured that " the King 

 gave him leave to come to hear the Griesbachs play at 

 the private concert which he has every evening." 

 Even his brother Alexander was known to the King, 

 and was inquired after in the same breath apparently 

 as he inquired after " the great speculum." Had Miss 

 Burney been telling the story, she would probably 

 have said that " What ? what ? what ? " looked upon the 

 two as creatures of the same kind. But his pupils 

 and Mr. Palmer, the manager of the theatre at Bath, 

 must be told that he could not return till the King 

 had seen the planets with the seven-foot reflector, and 

 given him permission to leave. That telescope had 



1 Memoirs, p. 321. 2 Lalande, Preface, i. xxxvii. 



