44 THE WORLD'S WORKERS. 



who understood his work. And, seeing that the 

 book itself was a work of great genius, that it con- 

 tained such wonderful revelations of the way in which 

 the planets, " tumbling down their orbits, were really 

 obeying the law of gravitation," Lord Brougham felt 

 that it would be an immense advantage if only a few 

 people could, by the help of Mrs. Somerville, be 

 added to those who honoured and were indebted to 

 the great Frenchman. 



When subjects are very difficult in themselves, 

 and have been discussed in learned languages only, 

 it is not at all an easy business to attempt to state 

 them clearly in simple language. This Mrs. Somer- 

 ville knew quite well, and when Lord Brougham 

 made the proposal, she was surprised beyond ex- 

 pression, and said at once that she felt quite incapable 

 of doing work of the kind proposed. However, Lord 

 Brougham persisted, and her husband joined him in 

 trying to persuade her at least to make an attempt, 

 and see what she could do. So at last she consented 

 to try, on two conditions : first, that the affair should 

 be kept secret ; and secondly, that if, after doing her 

 best, her best was found to be a failure, the manu- 

 script should be put in the fire, and not another word 

 said about the matter. 



From this period the entire course of Mrs. Somer- 

 ville's life was changed. Hitherto her time had been 

 fully occupied in looking after her household, taking 

 care of, and even educating, her children, going out 



