I suppose my nephew must have himself a complete copy of the Memoirs; but, if not, I beg you will give them to him, along with my love, as a keepsake from his affectionate and grateful aunt, the first opportunity you have to see him on his return.
Your kind information of the work with which you are at present engaged, touches a string which it has caused me no small trouble to silence; for whenever my thoughts return to those two or three years of which every moment that could be spared from other immediate astronomical business was, by my brother’s desire, allotted for comparing each star of the British Catalogue with their observations in that incorrect edition of 1725, I feel always sorry that want of time, and, perhaps, want of ability too, must have been the cause of leaving many incorrections unnoticed. The work, however, was solely intended for the use of my brother, who valued Flamsteed as an observer too much to have made use of any other but the British Catalogue for determining the places of his newly-discovered objects. N.B. We ought to remember that till the year 1790 and 1800, when Wollaston’s and Bode’s Catalogues appeared, we had no other to go by, for those of Piazzi and several other excellent observers were then not generally known.
But, dear Sir, I ought to take leave of this to me interesting subject; for finding, about eight years since, that, on account of the failure of my eyes and wretched health in general, I should be unable to make further use of Flamsteed’s works, I gave the three volumes, along with the Atlas, Catalogue of Omitted Stars, &c., to the Observatory of Göttingen, all marked throughout with what corrections I knew of at that time; thinking they might be of use to the observer there, and relieve me besides from the fear of leaving them where they could not be appreciated, or an attempt be made to comment on them, and perhaps have made bad worse.
I wish (but almost fear life will not be spared me so long) to see your new edition of the British Catalogue, therefore beg you will favour me with a copy as early as possible. I never knew that there was a Biography of Flamsteed’s existing, and trust you will favour me with the same as soon as you can.
Any small parcels of astronomical papers will come to me by favour of Herr Schumacher in Altona, who is so kind as to send me his Astronom. Nachrichten regularly for my amusement. And if you could send me the names of the President and of the gentlemen of the present Council, it would greatly oblige me.
I hope you will pardon my having intruded so long on your time, but it has ever been my fault to be tedious in expressing my thoughts on paper; but will now only add that, with great esteem and regard,
I remain, my dear Sir,
Your humble servant,
Caroline Herschel.
1835. Letters.