The Duchess of Kent. 203 



lated into German and Italian. The book went 

 through various editions in the United States, to 

 the honour, but not to the profit, of the author. 

 However, the publisher obligingly sent me a copy. 

 I must say that profit was never an object with 

 me : I wrote because it was impossible for me to 

 be idle. 



I had the honour of presenting a copy of my 

 book to the Duchess of Kent at a private audience. 

 The Duchess and Princess Victoria were alone, and 

 received me very graciously, and conversed for half 

 an hour with me. As I mentioned before, I saw 

 the young Princess crowned : youthful, almost child- 

 like as she was, she went through the imposing 

 ceremony with all the dignity of a Queen. 



[A few letters from some of my mother's friends, 

 written at this period, may prove of interest. They 

 are chiefly written to thank her for copies of the Pre- 

 liminary Dissertation or of the "Physical Sciences." 

 One from Lord Brougham concerns my mother's esti- 

 mate of the scientific merit of Dr. Young, for whom she 

 had the sincerest admiration, and considered him one 

 of the first philosophers and discoursers of the age. 



FEOM MISS EDGEWORTH TO MRS. SOMERVILLE. 



EDGWOBTHTOWN, May 31st, 1832. 

 MY DEAR MRS. SOMKRVILLE, 



There is one satisfaction at least in giving 

 knowledge to the ignorant, to those who know their 



