CHAP, v.] Life in Hanover. 183 



MISS HERSCHEL TO J. F. W. HERSCHEL. 



HANOVER, March 7, 1825. 



The birthday of my dear nephew! who I wish may enjoy 

 in health and prosperity many returns of this day. I will 

 drink your health, and on the 16th of this month you may 

 return the compliment, for then I shall have completed my 

 seventy-fifth year. 



I received the parcel, not till the last day of February, 

 which contained your letter of December 4th, with the prints 

 of the King and Queen, which I delivered to the Regierungs- 

 rath B , to forward to his father at Gottingen. 



The first part of your letter is filled with expressions of 

 the most feeling kindness towards me, and I will pass them 

 over without attempting to describe what I felt on reading 

 the same, and merely for yours and your dear mother's 

 satisfaction I will answer as in the way of business all you 

 wished to know. November 22nd I received the 50 Lady 

 H. paid over for me to Mr. Goltermann, for which I 

 returned the day after (23rd) the formal receipt in a letter 

 to your mother, and hope it may not have been lost (for I 

 generally write what comes uppermost) .... I am ready 

 with the Catalogue of Nebulse, and have only to write, noi 

 a Preface, for I shall write what I have to say at the end 

 .... I wish, in case you were not on the spot to receive 

 the box from Mr. Goltermann yourself, you would before 

 you left town beg Mr. G. to keep it till you catted for it 

 yourself; for I must confess that from the day I let the 

 eight manuscript books and catalogue of Nebidce, and cata- 

 logue of stars drawn out of the eight books of sweeps, go 

 out of my hands, I shall have no peace till I know they are 

 safe in your own, where they ought to be. If you can think 

 of anything else I can send you, I beg you will let me know, 

 for a large parcel is no more trouble than a lesser one to 



