CHAP, vi.] Enters her eighty-third year. 253 



MISS HERSCHEL TO LADY HERSCHEL. 



HANOVBE, March 14, 1832. 

 MY DEAREST NIECE, 



Your precious letter, which I received this morning, 

 has relieved my mind from the fear that some ill might have 

 befallen my dear friends, because in my solitude the time 

 between January 7th and March 14th, seems to be an age ; 

 besides, the last melancholy letters required some soothing 

 subject to think on, for I do nothing else but think of the 

 spot where I once was and never can be again. 



But now all is well ; your dear letter will make me happy 

 for some time to come, and in my next I will more fully 

 reply to it, when I hope to be more composed than I am 

 just now, as the day after to-morrow will be my birthday, 

 when I, perhaps, enter on my eighty-third year. I am 

 always at the return of that day what one may call " hipt," 

 and therefore must destroy my thoughts any how as well as 

 I can. 



I kept my dear nephew's birthday last week, the 7th of 

 March, by thinking of you throughout the whole day. 

 When I was at 1 dinner, I made my maid stand opposite to 

 me, and pouring her out a glass of wine, made her say, Sir 

 John Herschel, lebe hoch ! (for ever). 



But I must hasten to say that which I wish you to know 

 as soon as possible, which is, to beg of all things not to send 

 the parcel the good Miss B. intended for me. I suppose it 

 may consist of some dress of my dear departed sister .... 

 I beg your acceptance of it for a remembrance of us both ; 

 it would vex me to add anything I set store on, only to 



leave it to those I cannot esteem. 



***** 



I am much obliged to my dear nephew for sending the few 

 pages announcing the publications of the Royal Society. It 



