278 Mary Somerville. 



arrangements for covering Italy with a network of thesa 

 iron roads, connecting all the great cities and also the 

 two seas from Venice to Milan and Genoa and from 

 Ancona by Borne to Civita Vecchia. However the Pope is 

 opposed to the latter part, but they say the cardinals and 

 people wish it so much that he will at last consent .... 

 Many thanks for the Vestiges, &c. I think it a powerful 

 production, and was highly pleased with it, but I can easily 

 - see that it will offend in some quarters ; however it 

 should be remembered that there has been as much 

 opposition to the true s}"stem of astronomy and to geo- 

 logical facts as there can be to this. At all events free 

 and open discussion of all natural and moral phenomena 

 must lead to truth at last. Is Babbage the author ? I 

 rather think he would not be so careful in concealing his 

 name 



[My mother made some curious experiments upon the 

 effect of the solar spectrum on juices of plants and other 

 substances, of which she sent an account to Sir John 

 Herschel, who answered telling her that he had com- 

 municated her account of her experiments to the RoyaJ 

 Society.] 



SIR JOHN HERSCHEL TO MRS. SOMERVILLE. 



COLLINGWOOD, November 21st, 1845. 



MY DEAB MRS. SOMERVILLE, 



I cannot express to you the pleasure I experi- 

 enced from the receipt of your letter and the perusal of 

 the elegant experiments it relates, which appear to me of 

 the highest interest and show (what I always suspected), 

 that there is a world of wonders awaiting disclosure in 



