166 Mary Somervtlle. 



rupted at a critical moment when the solution was 

 almost within his grasp, by some childish question 

 about tense or gender, or how much seven times 

 seven made. My mother was never impatient, but 

 explained our little difficulties quickly and kindly, 

 and returned calmly to her own profound thoughts. 

 Yet on occasion she could show both irritation and 

 impatience when we were stupid or inattentive, neither 

 of which she could stand. With her clear mind she 

 darted at the solution, sometimes forgetting that we had 

 to toil after her laboriously step by step. I well remem- 

 ber her slender white hand pointing impatiently to the 

 book or slate " Don't you see it? there is no difficulty 

 in it, it is quite clear." Things were so clear to her ! I 

 must here add some other recollections by my mother of 

 this very interesting portion of her life. 



I was a considerable time employed in writing this 

 book, but I by no means gave up society, which, 

 would neither have suited Somerville nor me. We 

 dined out, went to evening parties, and occasionally 

 to the theatre. As soon as my work was finished I 

 sent the manuscript to Lord Brougham, requesting 

 that it might be thoroughly examined, criticised and 

 destroyed according to promise if a failure. I was 

 very nervous while it was under examination, and 

 was equally surprised and gratified that Sir John 

 Herschel, our greatest astronomer, and perfectly 

 versed in the calculus, should have found so few 



