CHAP, vi.] On her Nephew's marriage. 235 



seeing your dear son so happily settled, but am almost 

 afraid your late illness .... may have prevented you 

 from being present at the performance of the ceremony on 

 which the future happiness of my dear nephew is so much 

 depending. 



I must beg you will thank Miss B. for sparing me so much 

 of her time by her circumstantial accounts of the interesting 

 event, and hope she will continue to write, though I am not 

 able to answer punctually, for I am not free from pain for 

 one hour out of the twenty-four, and so it has been for a 

 long time past with me. N.B. She mentions my nephew 

 having written me a letter informing me of his future hap- 

 piness, but such I have not received, and perhaps he may 

 only have intended it, or it is lost 



The following hint is only to you as a dear sister, for as 

 such I now know you : 



All I am possessed of is looked upon as their own, when 

 I am gone ; the disposal of my brother's picture is even 

 denied me it hangs in Mrs. H.'s drawing-room, where a 

 set of old women play cards under it on her club day. . . . 



I have no great matters to leave, a few articles of furni- 

 ture which I had the trouble to provide myself with (though 

 I paid for furnished lodgings), would not produce a capital if 

 sold. It is only pictures, books, telescopes, globes, &c., I 

 regret should come into hands of those who know not the value 

 of them ; but Miss Beckedorff will take my sweeper under 



her protection ; but enough of this I hope, above 



all, to have soon the pleasure to hear that you will hold out 

 with me now that we are entering on our eightieth year. 



But as long as God pleases I shall remain 



Your most affectionate sister, 



C. HERSCHEL. 



