At last I am enabled to inform you of the safe arrival of my boxes and trunks, which only came the day before yesterday, and then I was obliged to wait till the keys were sent by to-day’s post, but I have the satisfaction to find that every article is exactly as I had packed them with my own hands. For the last three weeks, I was despairing of ever seeing them again, for the vessel had been no less than three weeks at sea, and then had been obliged to unload six German miles beyond Bremen for want of water in the Weser. The country is in general much distressed for want of water; our large rivers may be passed on foot, &c. But of these things you are perhaps informed by the newspapers, and of many other circumstances; such as the mice eating the corn as soon as sowed, so that sowing it three times over was without effect, till the mice were destroyed by a pest coming among them. I would give anything if I at this moment could see with my own eyes how you and my dear nephew are; tell him that on the day after Christmas (Dec. 26th) the messenger will leave Hanover, and will take the book for Mr. Babbage, and one in two volumes for my nephew; also two or three letters of his father’s which I have found among some papers of my brother Alex. I know not if I mentioned it in my last that I selected all his last receipts when he left England, and shall keep them yet a little longer. As yet I lead but a dull sort of life; the town is much too gay for me—plays, concerts, card parties, walking, &c. I cannot take part _in any_; my cold in my head is still very bad, and my poor brother is frequently unwell, and for want of my trunks I could not accept Mrs. Beckedorff’s invitation to meet Madam Zimmermann, &c., in an evening, on account of not having clean things; but she is so kind as to call on me sometimes among all the hurry she is engaged in at present with the Princess Augusta. Mr. Gisewell came a few days ago to see me; he lives a little way out of town, and poor Mrs. G. keeps her bed, and is hardly ever well; their eldest daughter is happily situated with the Queen of Würtemberg, and Mr. Gisewell enjoys a very lucrative situation. I wish you could conveniently acquaint my nephew, H. Griesbach, as soon as possible, that my brother has received an answer to the letter he sent to Antwerp to the sister of H. Griesbach, and that in the parcel which the messenger will bring will be enclosed her letter to Mr. H. G. I hope you will make Miss Baldwin write me soon a long account how yourself and all _around_ and _with_ you are, but pray let it be a favourable one, and remember me to all (who are so good as to inquire after me) most cordially, and believe me, My dear Lady H., Your very affectionate CAR. HERSCHEL.