172 Mary Somerville. 



For our pleased thoughts of you, when thus we find 



That dark to you seems bright, perplexed seems plain, 



Seen in the depths of a pellucid mind, 



Full of clear thought, pure from the ill and vain 



That cloud the inward light ? An honoured name 



Be yours ; and peace of heart grow with your growing fame. 



[Professor Peacock, afterwards Dean of Ely, in a letter, 

 dated February 14th, 1832, thanked my mother for a 

 copy of the " Mechanism of the Heavens." 



LETTER FROM PROFESSOR PEACOCK TO MRS. SOMERVILLE. 



"I consider it to be a work which will contribute 

 greatly to the extension of the knowledge of physical 

 astronomy, in this country, and of the great analytical 

 processes which have been employed in such investiga- 

 tions. It is with this view that I consider it to be a 

 work of the greatest value and importance. Dr. Whewell 

 and myself have already taken steps to introduce it into 

 the course of our studies at Cambridge, and I have little 

 doubt that it will immediately become an essential work 

 to those of our students who aspire to the highest places 

 in our examinations." 



[On this my mother remarks : 



I consider this as the highest honour 1 ever 

 received, at the time I was no less sensible of 

 it, and was most grateful. I was surprised and 

 pleased beyond measure to find that my book 

 should be so much approved of by Dr. Whewell, 

 one of the most eminent men of the age for 



