[Illustration: Maria Mitchell] MARIA MITCHELL LIFE, LETTERS, AND JOURNALS Compiled By PHEBE MITCHELL KENDALL Illustrated 1896 CONTENTS CHAPTER I The parents--Home life--Education, teachers, books--Astronomical instruments--Solar eclipse of 1831--Teaching--Appointment as librarian of Nantucket Atheneum--Friendships for young people--Extracts from diary, 1855--Music--The piano--Society--Story-telling--Housework--Extract from diary, 1854 CHAPTER II "Sweeping" the heavens--Discovery of the comet, 1847--Frederick VI. and the comet--Letters from G. P. Bond and Hon. Edward Everett--Admiral Smyth--American Academy--American Association for the Advancement of Science--Extract from diary, 1855--Dorothea Dix--Esther--Divers extracts from diary, 1853, 1854--Comet of 1854--Computations for comet--Visit to Cape Cod--Sandwich and Plymouth--Pilgrim Hall--Rev. James Freeman Clarke--Accidents in observing CHAPTER III Wires in the transit instrument--Deacon Greele--Smithsonian fund--"Doing"--Rachel in "Phèdre" and "Adrienne"--Emerson--The hard winter CHAPTER IV Southern tour--Chicago--St. Louis--Scientific Academy of St. Louis--Dr. Pope--Dr. Seyffarth--Mississippi river--Sand-bars--Cherry blossoms--Eclipse of sun--Natchez--New Orleans--Slave market--Negro church--The "peculiar institution"--Bible--Judge Smith--Travelling without escort--Savannah--Rice plantations--Negro children--Miss Murray--Charleston--Drive--Condition of slaves--Old buildings--Miss Rutledge--Mr. Capers--Class meeting--Hospitality--Mrs. Holbrook--Miss Pinckney--Manners--Portraits--Miss Pinckney's father--George Washington--Augusta--Nashville--Mrs. Fogg--Mrs. Polk--Charles Sumner--Mammoth cave--Chattanooga CHAPTER V First European tour--Liverpool--London--Rev. James Martineau--Mr. John Taylor--Mr. Lassell--Liverpool observatory--The Hawthornes--Shop-keepers and waiters--Greenwich observatory--Sir George Airy--Visits to Greenwich--Herr Struvé's mission to England--Dinner party--General Sabine--Westminster Abbey--Newton's monument--British museum--Four great men--St. Paul's--Dr. Johnson--Opera--Aylesbury--Admiral Smyth's family--Amateur astronomers--Hartwell house--Dr. Lee CHAPTER VI Cambridge--Dr. Whewell--Table conversation--Professor Challis--Professor Adams--Customs--Professor Sedgwick--Caste--King's Chapel--Fellows-- Ambleside--Coniston waters--The lakes--Miss Southey--Collingwood--Letter to her father--Herschels--London rout--Professor Stokes--Dr. Arnott--Edinboro'--Observatory--Glasgow observatory--Professor Nichol--Dungeon Ghyll--English language--English and Americans--Boys and beggars CHAPTER VII