332 Caroline Lucretia Herschel. [1843. 



happy hours I spent on my little roof at Slough, when I was 

 not wanted at the twenty-foot. And I cannot help at the 

 same time regretting my having spent these last twenty 

 years in so useless a manner, between roofs and houses 

 which prevent my seeing even an eclipse of the moon when 

 in a low part of the ecliptic, it passes away behind the houses 

 of my opposite neighbours ; and so did the glorious tail of 

 your comet, of which, however, I have gathered all that 

 has been said in the papers, besides what you and my 

 dear nephew have been so kind as to communicate 



I have just been reading part of your dear packet over 

 again, and am resolved to follow your advice, and say as 

 little of what happens now as possibly I can help, and send 

 herewith what I call the first part of my History, of which I 

 wish you will in your very next give me your sincere 

 opinion. I shall judge by it if I may go on, or lay down 

 the pen for ever. 



(I hope the packet containing my brother's biography 

 has been safely taken care of among his papers, for I have 

 no copy of it ; pray let me know if you have seen such a 

 packet, I think it is in quarto, and that I put it in a cover 

 like all the MSS.) 



Of the present I can only say that I have been unable to 

 do anything beside keeping myself alive, and getting my 

 clothes on by twelve at noon, so that I may be able to 

 receive anybody who may call on me between that hour and 



eight in the evening. 



***** 



This brings to my remembrance, that when I was god- 

 mother to Mrs. Waterhouse's eldest sister in 1787, I was 

 called away in the afternoon to help my brother to receive the 

 Princesse Lamballe, who came with a numerous attendance 

 to see the moon, &c. About a fortnight after, her head 

 was off. 



