The Sun.
London, England, 1822-09-04 00:00:00

R. HERSCHEL.

[Prom The. Percy Anecdotes.]
Dr. ITEltscliEL, the celebrated astronomer, was
originally brought up to his father's profession that of a mu-
sician, and accompanied a German Regiment to England,
as one of the band, performing on the hautboy. While
acting in this humble capacity in the North of England, a
new organ was built for the parish church of Halifax, by
Snetzler, which was opened with an oratorio by the well-known
Joah Bates. Mr. Herschel, and six other persons, became can-
didates for the organist's situation. A day was fixed on which
each was to perform in rotation ; when Mr. Wainwright, of
Manchester, played, his finger was so rapid that old Snetzler,
the organ-builder, ran about the church, exclaiming, " He run
over de key like one cat ; he will not give my pipes time to
speak."
During Mr. Wainwright's performance, Dr. Miller, the
friend of Herschel, inquired of 'him what chance he had of
following him ? " 1 don't know," said Herschel, " but lam
sure fingers will not do." When it came to his turn Her-
schel ascended the organ loft, and produced so uncommon
a richness, such a volume of slow harmony, as astonish-
ed all present ; and after this extemporaneous effiision he finish-
ed with the old hundredth Psalm, which he played better than
his opponent. " Aye, aye," cries old Snetzler, 'fish is very
" goot, very goot inteet ; I willluf tis man, he gives my pipes
room for to speak:"
Herschel being asked by what means he produced so
astonishing an effect, replied, " I told you fingers would
not do ;" and producing two pieces of lead from his waist-
coat pocket, Said, " One of these I laid on the lowest key of
the organ, and the other upon the octave • above ; and thus
by accommodating the harmony, I produced the effect of four
hands instead of two." This superiority of skill obtained
Herschel the situation ; but he had other and higher obj eets
view, to suffer him long to retain it.

It has long been known and admitted, that his
MAJESTY. King George the Fourth bows with unrivalled ele-
gance and grace. In passing and bowing to the myriads who
assembled on all occasions during his Majesty's late visit to
his Metropolis in Scot/and; every individual felt that his" Ma-
jesty's bow was particularly directed towards him. This delu-
sion, the effect of his Majetty's graceful manner, operated in a
greater degree, perhaps, on the worthy citizens of Dundee, than
on any others of his Majesty's subjects. " His Majesty bowed to
me," says one: " but I was huAzaing very loudly—" and gaping
wide," said'a wag. ," his Majesty bowed particularly to me,'
says another. -" But I was standing in a conspicuous plaee.".
" Your figure, too, must necessarily have attracted his Majesty's.
attention, ' said a bystander. In short every citizen of Dun-
I dee who went to Edinburgh on this occasion had a special
bow from his Majesty.-1 A, worthy brother of the maltmen had
placed himself in a crowd ou a high wall flanking the road along
which his Majesty had to pass from Dalkeith to Holyrood-
house. In bowing, his Majesty's eye operated as a gunshot to
the astounded maltman : " God bless me, he Surely kens me!"
and he instantly fell backwards from the top of the wall to the
ground, a height of 10 feet.—(Dundee Advertiser.)
In the course of 'Wednesday evening the coril,
pany at Dalkeith. House were enlivened by twelve Highlanders,.
who danced strathspeys and reels to the bagpipes, with which
his MAJESTY appeared highly delighted. Atholl brose 'was
introduced, when Sir WALTER. SCOTT drank to the " Chief
of the Clans, the KING," which he explained to the High- ,
landers. His MAJESTY then drank to them emphatically—
" May God bless you all,". and directed them to retire and en-
joy themselves—a mandate which they readilly obeyed.
Some days ago, in imitation of the practice of
Universities in ancient times, a -progranime was affixed to the
gates of the College of Edinburgh, offering a medal, non pretii
sed itonaris causa, to the author of the best congratulatory poem,
either in the Greek or Latin Language, on the King's visit to
Edinburgh; that medal has been awarded to Mr. THOMAS
HINGSTON, one of the medical students in the University of
Edinburgh.—(Edinburgh Paper.)
During the Procession to the Calton-hill to lay
the foUndation stone of the National Monument, it was remarked
that no small sensation was produced by the various emblema-
tical insignia borne ,by the different lodges, and in particular
by the Stirling Ancient Lodge, whose Tiler, a little man,
dressed in the garb of Old Gaul, carried a double-handed sword
of great magnitude and length. It will be gratifying to our
readers to learn, that this ponderous weapon was actually found
in the field of Bannockburn about a century ago, and has been
preserved as a precious relict by this very ancient Lodge, whose
original charter was granted by King. David of pious memory.
Scotch, Paper.)