Herschel at the Cape. 217 



should be very sorry to appear in that, or any other 

 negligent or naughty light ; but you, I know, will allow 

 for the circumstances which have occasioned my silence. 

 Meanwhile, I am not sorry that the execution of an 

 intention I had more than once formed should have been 

 deferred, till we read in the papers of the well-judged and 

 highly creditable notice (creditable I mean to the govern- 

 ment pro tempore) which His Majesty has been pleased to 

 take of Mrs. Somerville's elaborate works. Although 

 the Royal notice is not quite so swift as the lightning in 

 the selection of its objects, it agrees with it in this, that 

 it is attracted by the loftiest ; and though what she has 

 performed may seem so natural and easy to herself, that 

 she may blush to find it fame ; all the rest of the world 

 will agree with me in rejoicing that merit of that kind is 

 felt and recognised at length in the high places of the 

 earth. This, and the honourable mention of Airy by 

 men of both parties in the House of Commons about the 

 same time, are things that seem to mark the progress of 

 the age we live in ; and I give Peel credit for his tact in 

 perceiving this mode of making a favourable impression 

 on the public mind. 



We are all going on very comfortably, and continue to 

 like the Cape as a place of (temporary) residence as much 

 or more than at first. The climate is so very delicious. 

 The stars are most propitious, and, astronomi- 

 cally speaking, I can now declare the climate to be most 

 excellent. Night after night, for weeks and months, 

 with hardly an interruption, of perfect astronomical 

 weather, discs of stars reduced almost to points, and 

 tranquilly gliding across the field of your telescope. It 

 is really a treat, such as occurs once or perhaps twice a 

 year in England hardly more. I had almost forgotten 



