Bach was only too glad to avail himself of this
feeble chance of satisfying his cravings. But what was his
astonishment, upon pulling the heads to pieces, to find that each
contained a Danish ducat! The acquisition of so much wealth fairly
took his breath away, and for a moment he almost forgot that he was
famishing. On realising his good fortune, he lost no time in entering
the inn and regaling himself at the expense of his unknown benefactor.
The money did more than this, however, for it enabled him to reckon
upon another visit to Hamburg in the near future.

That distance formed no obstacle to Bach's ardent desire to obtain
knowledge is proved by the fact that he performed several journeys on
foot to Celle, which was distant some forty-five English miles to the
south of Lueneburg, in order that he might hear the band at the ducal
Court. The Duke's musicians were chiefly Frenchmen, and French
instrumental music formed the principal part of their work. There was
but little opportunity in Germany of hearing this important branch of
music, and Bach seized upon the first chance that presented itself. He
was now making rapid progress with his studies, and his friendship
with Boehm, the organist of St. John's Church at Lueneburg, was a great
incentive to him in his love for the organ.

After remaining three years at the Lueneburg school, Bach obtained a
post as violinist in the private band of Prince Johann Ernst, brother
of the reigning Duke of Saxe-Weimar. This, however, was merely to fill
up the time until he could secure an appointment in the direction in
which his affections as well as his genius were guiding him. The
opportunity for which he sought was not long in coming. A visit to the
old Thuringian town of Arnstadt, in which three members of his family
had successively filled the post of organist in past years, took him
to the new church to inspect the organ which had just been erected by
the consistory. Arnstadt, in fact, was one of the centres in which the
influence of the Bach family had made itself felt, and whence several
of its members had gone forth to other parts of the country. The
savour of the former presence of the Bachs was still fresh in the
minds of the townspeople; the consistory of the new church, moreover,
were on the look out for a thoroughly capable organist, and Bach's
request to be allowed to try the organ was, therefore, willingly
granted.

No sooner had they heard him play than they offe