Hanover, August 11, 1823.
My dearest Nephew,—
I thank you most heartily for your kind care and punctuality in sending my remittance, and am only sorry to trouble you so often; I might have acknowledged the receipt thereof by the last post, but I wished first to enable myself to give the following information. Johann Wilhelm Pfaff, professor, in Erlangen, is the same who intends to translate your father’s papers, but those only which he can get a copy of. The Philosophical Transactions, I am told, are not within his reach. You may depend on my sending you whatever may come out as soon as it makes its appearance.
I can easily imagine how little time you can have to spare for writing to me when once you have entered on that mass of your father’s observations contained in his journals, &c.... I think the temporary index (such as it is) will in many instances be of service to you, but I wish to point out here that about the year 1800 there was a change made in the titles of some of the books. The first volume of miscellaneous observations was then called Journal No. 10, &c., ... so if the index directs you to January 24th, 1797 M. (for M. read J.) I think a memorandum of this will be found in the cover or beginning of the index, but I am not certain.
You have truly gratified me by sending the inscription of the monument,[[33]] for such subjects only are capable of interesting my waking thoughts and nightly dreams. I was going to give you an idea of what they are; but why should I communicate grief?
The paper for Gauss is gone to Göttingen. I have directed it to Professor Harding, who is the next to Gauss in the astronomical department, as Gauss is not yet returned from his journey of measurements. I made a few extracts from the paper[[34]] by way of having something to be delighted with, but am glad such a thing was not invented fifty years ago, for then my existence would have been of no use at all at all.
I am amusing myself with having the seven-foot mounted by Hohenbaum, though I have not even a prospect of a window for a whole constellation, but it shall stand in my room and be my monument—as the forty-foot is yours. When Hohenbaum comes for a trifling direction, we generally do not separate till dinner, or some other interruption puts a stop to our conversation; for this man is never tired when speaking of your father’s inventful imaginations and the readiness with which everything was executed.
I have not above six hours’ tolerable ease out of the twenty-four, and not one hour’s sleep, and yet I wish to live a little longer, that I might make you a more correct catalogue of the 2,500 nebulæ, which is not even begun, but hope to be able to make it my next winter’s amusement.
I was much pleased with the partial success of Mr. Babbage in having something granted towards going on with his grand ideas.
With many compliments and best wishes, &c.,