William _did_ go to one of those seats of learning, and would have
starved there, but for the affectionate remittances of Henry, who shortly
became so great a proficient in the art of music, as to have it in his
power not only to live in a very reputable manner himself, but to send
such supplies to his brother, as enabled him to pursue his studies.
With some, the progress of fortune is rapid. Such is the case when,
either on merit or demerit, great patronage is bestowed. Henry's violin
had often charmed, to a welcome forgetfulness of his insignificance, an
effeminate lord; or warmed with ideas of honour the head of a duke, whose
heart could never be taught to feel its manly glow. Princes had flown to
the arms of their favourite fair ones with more rapturous delight,
softened by the masterly touches of his art: and these elevated
personages, ever grateful to those from whom they receive benefits, were
competitors in the desire of heaping favours upon him. But he, in all
his advantages, never once lost for a moment the hope of some advantage
for his brother William: and when at any time he was pressed by a patron
to demand a "token of his regard," he would constantly reply--"I have a
brother, a very learned man, if your lordship (your grace, or your royal
highness) would confer some small favour on him!"
His lordship would reply, "He was so teased and harassed in his youth by
learned men, that he had ever since detested the whole fraternity."
His grace would inquire, "if the learned man could play upon any
instrument."
And his highness would ask "if he could sing."
Rebuffs such as these poor Henry met with in all his applications for
William, till one fortunate evening, at the conclusion of a concert, a
great man shook him by the hand, and promised a living of five hundred a
year (the incumbent of which was upon his death-bed) to his brother, in
return for the entertainment that Henry had just afforded him.
Henry wrote in haste to William, and began his letter thus: "My dear
brother, I am not sorry you did not learn to play upon the fiddle."