March 3, 1829.
My dear Lady Herschel,—
I long to congratulate you on the happy occasion of seeing your dear son so happily settled, but am almost afraid your late illness ... may have prevented you from being present at the performance of the ceremony on which the future happiness of my dear nephew is so much depending.
I must beg you will thank Miss B. for sparing me so much of her time by her circumstantial accounts of the interesting event, and hope she will continue to write, though I am not able to answer punctually, for I am not free from pain for one hour out of the twenty-four, and so it has been for a long time past with me. N.B.—She mentions my nephew having written me a letter informing me of his future happiness, but such I have not received, and perhaps he may only have intended it, or it is lost....
The following hint is only to you as a dear sister, for as such I now know you:—
All I am possessed of is looked upon as their own, when I am gone; the disposal of my brother’s picture is even denied me—it hangs in Mrs. H.’s drawing-room, where a set of old women play cards under it on her club day....
I have no great matters to leave, a few articles of furniture which I had the trouble to provide myself with (though I paid for furnished lodgings), would not produce a capital if sold. It is only pictures, books, telescopes, globes, &c., I regret should come into hands of those who know not the value of them; but Miss Beckedorff will take my sweeper under her protection; but enough of this.... I hope, above all, to have soon the pleasure to hear that you will hold out with me now that we are entering on our eightieth year.
But as long as God pleases I shall remain
Your most affectionate sister,
C. Herschel.