864 Mary Somerville. 



find pleasure in shooting down tame pigeons as they 

 fly terrified out of a cage. 



I am now in my 92nd year (1872), still able to 

 drive out for several hours ; I am extremely deaf, 

 and my memory of ordinary events, and especially 

 of the names of people, is failing, but not for mathe- 

 matical and scientific subjects. I am still able to 

 read books on the higher algebra for four or five 

 hours in tne morning, and even to solve the pro- 

 blems. Sometimes I find them difficult, but my old 

 obstinacy remains, for if I do not succeed to-day, I 

 attack them again on the morrow. I also enjoy 

 reading about all the new discoveries and theories in 

 the scientific world, and on all branches of science. 



Sir Roderick Murchison has passed away, honoured 

 by all, and of undying fame ; and my amiable friend, 

 almost my contemporary, Professor Sedgwick, has 

 been obliged to resign his chair of geology at Cam- 

 bridge, from age, which he had filled with honour 

 during a long life. 



[The following letter from her valued friend Professor 

 Sedgwiik, in 1869, is the last my mother received from 

 him: 



