CHAP. ii. j Employments at Slough. 71 



night, that we may see a little more of it. I believe you 

 have a pair of Harris's maps ; the place where I saw the 

 comet is between 53 and 54 Ursse Maj. and the 14, 15, and 

 16 Comae Ber. of Flamsteed's Catalogue. All stars of 

 Flamst. are in Bode's Cat. to be found, and if you cannot do 

 without it, I dare say it is to be met with at Hanover. . . . 



I found it with a magnifier of about 30, with a field of 

 about 1^ degree. Now, if you have a piece which is nearly 

 like this, I would advise you to make use of that in sweeping 

 all around this place, for it must be, by the time you receive 

 this letter, at a considerable distance. 



When I saw it, it appeared like a very bright, but round, 

 small nebula. 



The first letter I received from Hanover from William 

 gave us the greatest satisfaction imaginable, for it contained 

 an account of the good health of all our dear relations. I 

 hope our dear mother does not grieve too much now they 

 have left her. I dare say William will pay soon another 

 visit, and then I will take that opportunity of coming to see 

 her. Farewell, dear brother ; give my best love, &c. 



To this period of Miss HerscheFs life belongs a folio 

 manuscript book, written with the utmost neatness, 

 which she sent with one of her various consignments 

 of papers to her nephew after her return to Hanover, 

 and introduced as follows : 



DEAR NEPHEW, 



This is the fragment of a book which was too bulky 

 for the portfolio in which I was collecting such papers as I 

 wished might not fall into any other but your own hands. 

 They contain chiefly answers of your father to the inquiries 

 I used to make when at breakfast before we separated each 

 for our daily tasks. 



