Hanover, Feb. 27, 1823.
My dearest Nephew,—
I take the earliest opportunity I have to acquaint you with having received a letter from Mr. H. Goltermann, accompanied with a draft for £2 4s. 6d., which is already received and safely deposited in my writing-desk. But the information that he had had the pleasure of seeing you in good health afforded me the greatest satisfaction, and he further promised me to forward the parcel to you in Downing Street, which was particularly pleasing to me, as I wished to avoid the sending backward and forward by blundering coachmen.
On the 5th of this month I received your letter without date, but conclude it was written about the same time with those of your dear mother and cousin Mary, dated the 9th and fifteenth of January. I delayed answering them (and must do so still for the present) because I knew that all mails were detained this side of the sea.
One passage in your letter affected me much, it was gratifying to me and unexpected: “... speaks of your English life, &c.... But now that you have left the scene of your labours you have the satisfaction of knowing that they are duly appreciated by those you leave behind.” But I can hardly hope that those favourable impressions should be lasting, or rather not be effaced by my hasty departure; but believe me I would not have gone without at least having made the offer of my service for some time longer to you, my dear nephew, had I not felt that it would be in vain to struggle any longer against age and infirmity, and though I had no expectation that the change from the pure country air in which I had lived the best part of my life, to that of the closest part of my native city, would be beneficial to my health and happiness, I preferred it to remaining where I should have had to bewail my inability of making myself useful any longer.
I hope you and Lady H. have not suffered by the severity of the weather; to me it has certainly done no good. I am grown much thinner than I was six months ago; when I look at my hands they put me so in mind of what your dear father’s were, when I saw them tremble under my eyes, as we latterly played at backgammon together. Good night! dear nephew, I will say the rest to-morrow.
By way of postscript I only beg you will give my love and many thanks to your dear mother and cousin for their kind letters; and if the latter will continue from time to time to inform me of all your well-being, I shall equally feel gratified, for it is no matter from which hand I receive the comfortable information.
I remain, ever your affectionate aunt,
Car. Herschel.
FROM MISS HERSCHEL TO J. F. W. HERSCHEL, ESQ.