THE TRIUMVIRATE 239 



Europe was ringing, honoured himself by this modesty 

 of bearing and true manhood. "Grieved to see the 

 sad change in Sir William's health and spirits," 

 Caroline Herschel wrote of their early friend when 

 she met him and his wife at her brother's house on 

 May 10, 1817, " I felt my only friend and adviser was 

 lost to me." 



The Triumvirate was composed of the King, Sir 

 Joseph Banks, and Sir William Herschel. 



The King was dead. Whatever may be said or 

 thought of him in other respects, it should always be 

 borne in mind that, after the difficulties incident to 

 Herschel's introduction at Court had been overcome, he 

 proved himself a munificent patron of science and an 

 enlightened friend of the great observer. Accustomed 

 himself to live in the centre of a crowd in his palace, 

 on the terrace at Windsor, and in his public appear- 

 ances, it would not occur to him that similar publicity 

 could be otherwise than agreeable to his astronomer. 

 When he bargained for Herschel's time being devoted, 

 among other things, to receiving visits from Royal or 

 titled nonentities, and showing them his instruments, 

 he did not consider that it was a drain on the astro- 

 nomer's time and strength, which ought not to have 

 been asked from him. Caroline Herschel, who saw the 

 mischief wrought by this waste of energy, the irrita- 

 tion caused, and the danger run from standing for 

 hours on wet grass to play the showman to a crowd of 

 thoughtless nobodies, complains bitterly, and not with- 

 out reason, of the arrangements thus made. But the 

 King cannot fairly be held blameworthy. Miss Burney 

 suffered in nearly the same way. Her attendance on 

 Queen Charlotte was a burden on body and soul, 



