254 HERSCHEL AND HIS WORK 



way. Him had Betty called in her fri-ht. I'm- his wife 

 (who is of use to nobody) is gone to spend tin- Miimucr 

 months in the country." Even in the presence of death 

 and in the ninetieth year of her age, the old spirit of 

 drollery gives piquancy to her views of mm and women. 

 In committing to paper h<-r last reflections on the dis- 

 appointments of life, Hhe writes : You " will see what a 

 solitary and useless life I have led these seventeen 

 years, all owing to not finding Hanover, nor any o> 

 it. like what I left, when the l>est of brothers took me 

 with him to England in August, 1772!" In n-ality it 

 was she herself, dissatMied with earth, who was Ion 

 for something lu-tter than earth can give, She tells us 

 what it was in the epitaph that she wrote on in 

 an-1 that was graven on her tomb : 



Here rests the earthly exterior of 

 CAROLINA HERSCHEL, 



Born at Hanover, March 16, 1750, 

 Died January 9, 1848. 



The eyes of Her who is glorified were here below turned to the 

 starry Heavens. Her own Discoveries of Comets, ami In -r j.ir- 

 ticipation in the immortal Labours of her Brother, William 

 Herschel, bear witness of this to future ages. 



The Royal Irish Academy of Dublin and the Royal Astronomical 

 Society of London enrolled Her name among their members. 



At the age of 97 years 10 months she fell asleep in calm rest 

 an<l in the full possession of her faculties, following into a 

 Life her Father, Isaac Herschel, who lived to the age of 60 years 

 L> mouths 17 days, and lies buried not far off, since tin- 2!Mh of 

 Marrh IT' 



Were it not for the unquestionable authority with 

 which it comes to us that te this account of her 



death with her own hand, we mi^ht be disposed to 



