Sir William Herschel / A.R. Hinks.

  • Hinks, Arthur R. (Arthur Robert), 1873-1945.
Date:
1912
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Sir William Herschel / A.R. Hinks. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    available. The principal source of his new information is a manuscript journal written by Herschel at some date later than 1793. Let us see how this supplements or modifies the accepted story of his early life. We learn for the first time some details of his first visit to England, as a boy of eighteen, in the band of the Hanoverian Guards. His sister records only that he brought back wi+h him to Hanover a copy of Locke, on which he had spent all his small pay. The now published journal adds some details of im- portance. The regiment was quartered in various towns of Kent. At Maidstone : ‘ I applied myself to learn the English language and soon was enabled to read Locke on Human Understanding. From Maidstone we marched to Coxheath, where the Hanoverian troops were encamped. Here as well as at Maidstone my father, my eldest brother and myself made several valuable acquaintances with families that were fond of music, and which on mine and my brother’s return to England proved of great service to us. During our stay in camp we took leave of absence for a short visit to view London.’ After a few months the regiment was ordered back to Hanover, and in the spring of the following year Herschel saw service in the campaign which opened the Sever Years’ War. The regiment suffered severely at the battle of Hastenbeck, being involved in the retreat of Cumberland before the forces of Marshal d’Estrees. Unable to endure the hardships of the campaign, Herschel found means to leave the army, under circumstances which have been obscure hitherto, and have given rise to a legend—‘ too long and too readily believed ’—that he deserted from the army. Herschel’s journal gives the following version of the affair : ‘ About the time of the battle of Hastenbeck (J uly 26) we were so near the field of action as to be within the reach of gunshot ; when this happened my father advised me to look to my own safety. Accordingly I left the engagement and took the road to Hanover, but when arrived there I found that having no passport I was in danger of being pressed for a soldier ; it was therefore thought proper for me to return to the army. When I had rejoined the regiment I found that nobody had time to look after the musicians ; they did not seem to be wanted. The weather was uncommonly hot and the continual marches were very harassing. At last in September my father’s opinion was, that as on account of my youth I had not been sworn in when I was admitted to the