276 Caroline L^lcret^a Herschel. 1835. 



But within the last two months I have been obliged to 

 oxert myself once more to answer two letters, one to Mr. 

 I)e Morgan, the Secretary of the Royal Astronomical Society, 

 the other to Mr. Baily (who I suppose is President), for 

 they have been pleased to choose me, along with Mrs. 

 Somerville, to be a member (God knows what for) of their 

 Society. This, and receiving visits of congratulation (for 

 congratulate they must about all they find what they call 

 promotion in the Zeitungen) has really somewhat disturbed 

 me, though Captain Miiller and Mr. Hausmann I am 

 always glad to see ; with them I can talk about my nephew, 

 for they know him personally, and adinire him. The winter 

 else has passed away rather heavily, because the Landgrafm 

 not being here, I had no other opportunity for seeing any- 

 tiling to put me in mind of England, but going to eight or 

 ten concerts, and those, ill or well, I never missed, for there 

 I was always sure to be noticed by the Duke of Cambridge 

 as his countrywoman (and that is what I want, I will be no 

 Hanoverian !), and then inquiries are made about my nephew 

 and his family ; even the little princess, twelve years old, 

 who sometimes when there, comes to give me her hand, 

 asking if I have had any letters from the Cape ; but now I 

 have seen the last of them, for the family go to England, 

 and will be absent for many months, and where may I be 

 when the} r return ? But Sunday night I sat a full hour on 

 the sofa with the Duke at Mrs. Beckedorff's, where I go 

 Sundays from seven to nine, where there is nobody but the 

 female part of Mrs. B.'s family, and another old lady, who 

 was absent on account of being not well. Of this our meet- 

 ing the good Duke knew all along, and good-naturedly came 

 to join our gossip. 



Here 1 have filled my paper with talking of nothing but my- 

 self, because I know that my nephew corresponds withal scien- 

 tific men in Europe, for I hear frequently of extracts having 



