* * * * *
The feelings of joy I experienced the first few days after the arrival of your letter are nearly evaporated, and I begin to feel already that the essential information required for making me reconciled to the immense space which divides me from you is still wanting; which is, that I cannot now, as formerly, receive so frequent accounts concerning the health of my dear niece and the children, not even from Miss B., who used to describe their little ways so prettily, for she, too, cannot now observe them. I look with impatience for the next account ... of the health of my dear niece, yours, and the dear little beings. Caroline and Isabella and I are old friends, but is William Herschel the second likely to live (if not beyond) at least to the age of his grandfather?
Perhaps you will receive the “Göttingsche Gelehrte Anzeigen” of 16th and 19th December, 1833, containing what is said of your book on Natural Philosophy (by Gauss they say).
God bless you all, and believe, my dear nephew,
Ever your most affectionate aunt,
Car. Herschel.
FROM J. F. W. HERSCHEL TO MISS HERSCHEL.
Feldhausen, June 6, 1834.
My dear Aunt,—
The twenty-foot has been in activity ever since the end of February, and, as I have now got the polishing apparatus erected and three mirrors (one of which I mean to keep constantly polishing) the sweeping gets on rapidly. I had hardly begun regular sweeping, when I discovered two beautiful planetary nebulæ, exactly like planets, and one of a fine blue colour. I have not been unmindful of your hint about Scorpio, I am now rummaging the recesses of that constellation and find it full of beautiful globular clusters. A few evenings ago I lighted on a strange nebula, of which here is a figure! and since I am about it I shall add a figure of one of the resolvable nebulæ in the greater magellanic cloud. The equatorial is at last erected, and the revolving roof (upon a plan of my own) works perfectly well, but I am sorry to say that the nights in which it can be used to advantage are rare, even rarer than in England, as, in spite of the clearness of the sky, the stars are ill-defined and excessively tremulous. But a truce to astronomical details! though from time to time I shall continue to plague you with them.... Farewell; M. desires to add her kindest regards to those of