There was no time for consulting milliners, and Mrs. Clarke assisted me in looking out something from what I had worn some years back, cap and all. (N.B.—The latter of my own making.) I must give you here a German saying, if you do not know it, which is, “_Einen jeden Narren gefällt seine eigene Cappe!_”[59] but I cannot say that I was much pleased with mine, I have so very few grey hairs left, which, however, I was told were much admired! Mrs. C. left me with a promise of sending her chair and servant at three-quarters past seven, and was waiting in an ante-room for me to assist me in getting further, and, indeed, the whole evening she did not withdraw her arm from me till she had put me in my chair again, and the next morning she was with me almost before I was out of bed. The King, Princess of Rüdolstadt, and one of the Princes of Solms were among the company, and I did not come home without receiving their notice. But I shall not venture on such pranks again, I promise you! * * * * * As I am writing this I see it will be my birthday, when I shall be ninety-two years, if I live. My nephew’s is the 7th, and he will be fifty, but for all that do not think him to be an old man. His father was fifty-four when he first saw the light.... The King of Prussia left magnificent presents among the courtiers, and Generalin Halkett was here on Sunday, and promised to bring me a snuff-box to look at, which the general has received. I begged she would not, for the ladies wear no pockets, and lose their purses, &c., as I daily hear by the town crier. Their pocketkerchiefs they carry open in their hands, which I think very indelicate; I daresay it is not the fashion in England.... ... I would not wish on any account to see either my nephew or you, my dear niece, again _in this world, for I could not bear the pain of parting once more_; but I trust I shall find and know you in the next. And as long as I can hold a pen, let us, I beg, commune with one another by letter! MISS HERSCHEL TO LADY HERSCHEL. HANOVER, _June 2, 1842_. MY DEAREST NIECE,— A thousand thanks for your kind letter, which contains ever so much comfortable and satisfactory information, such as heart can but wish.... I have begun a piece of work which I despair of finishing before my eyesight and life will leave me in the lurch. You will perhaps wonder what such a thing as I may pretend to do, can be, but I cannot help it, and shall not rest till I have wrote the History of the Herschels. I began, of course, with my father and his parents. My father was born in January, 1707, and I have now only got so far as the beginning of 1758, and it begins to interest me much, but I doubt whether I shall live to finish it, but think it a pity it should be thrown away.[60]...