I see by the postscripts you directed my nephew to add to your letter that you know exactly what will make his poor old aunt happy; and I must beg you to make my peace with my dear little William, for I fear the angry looks I gave him when seeing him climbing too high on an open window two stories above the pavement, can have left no favourable impression on his recollection. Unfortunately we could not converse together: he talked too soft and quick for me (I do not hear so well as formerly), and my mixture of German and English was not intelligible to him.... Had the knitting with beads been known forty years sooner, it would have been one of the accomplishments with which I came, at the age of twenty-two, into England in 1772, for there was no kind of ornamental needlework, knotting, plaiting hair, stringing beads and bugles, &c., of which I did not make samples by way of mastering the art. But as it was my lot to be the Cinderella of the family (being the only girl) I could never find time for improving myself in many things I knew, and which, after all, proved of no use to me afterwards, except what little I knew of music, being just able to play the second violin of an overture or easy quartette, which my father took a pleasure in teaching me. N.B. When my mother was not at home. Amen. I must think no more of those times, only just say I came to Bath with a mind eager to learn and to work, and never changed my mind till I came here again, but now I can no more.... One thing I must tell my nephew, which is, that I hope I have found a deserving protector of my sweeper in Director Hausmann, and I hope either himself or his son will find us a few comets with it yet. He is a constant visitor of mine. SIR J. F. W. HERSCHEL TO MISS HERSCHEL. SLOUGH, _Nov. 26, 1838_. MY DEAR AUNT,— I have received a letter from Sir Wm. Hamilton, Astronomer Royal, Dublin, informing me that the Royal Irish Academy have elected you an honorary member of that body. The diploma is by this time on its way to my care, and I will, so soon as I receive it, take the very first secure opportunity of transmitting it to you. Yesterday I received your most welcome letter and Mr. Boguslawski’s in one. I wrote to him some time ago relative to Halley’s comet. He seems a very diligent observer, and I am glad you have seen him. Your letter of September 24th, with its numerous dates, was like a little diary, and almost made us fancy ourselves with you in Hanover.... I am sorry to see, on looking at my banker’s account, that you have _not_ (as you promised to do) drawn on Cohen for the £50 of this half year. Pray do, and that soon, or I shall be sadly disappointed. We have got a most excellent president for the Royal Society in the Marquis of Northampton. He presided at the anniversary dinner on the 30th, and did the honours with great credit.