In 1766 we find that Herschel had received the further promotion of organist in the Octagon Chapel, at Bath. Bath was then, as now, a highly fashionable resort, and many notable personages patronized the rising musician. Herschel had other points in his favor besides his professional skill; his appearance was striking, his address superb, and his conversation animated, interesting, and instructive; and even his nationality was a distinct advantage, inasmuch as he was a Hanoverian in the reign of King George the Third. From his earliest youth, Herschel had been endowed with that invaluable characteristic, an intense desire for knowledge. He naturally wished to perfect himself in the theory of music, and thus he was led to study mathematics. When he had once tasted the charms of mathematics, he saw vast regions of knowledge unfolded before him, and in this way he was induced to direct his attention to astronomy. More and more this pursuit engrossed his attention until, at last, it had become an absorbing passion. It was with quite a small telescope, which had been lent him by a friend, that Herschel commenced his career as an observer. However, he speedily discovered that to see all he wanted to see, a telescope of far greater power would be necessary. He commissioned a friend to procure for him in London a telescope with high magnifying power. Fortunately for science the price was so great that it precluded the purchase, and he set himself at work to construct one. After many trials he succeeded in making a reflecting instrument of five feet focal length, with which he was able to observe the rings of Saturn and the satellites of Jupiter. It was in 1774, when the astronomer was thirty-six years old, that he obtained his first glimpse of the stars with an instrument of his own construction. Night after night, as soon as his musical labors were ended, his telescopes were brought out. His sister Caroline, who occupies such a distinct place in scientific history, the same little girl to whom we have already referred, was his able assistant, and when mathematical work had to be done, she was ready for it. She had taught herself sufficiently to enable her to perform the kind of calculations--not, perhaps, very difficult ones--that Herschel’s work required; indeed, it is not much to say that the mighty life-work which this man was enabled to perform could never have been accomplished had it not been for the self-sacrifice of this ever-loving and faithful sister.