WHEN past ninety a second memoir was undertaken, and in order to encourage her to continue it her niece, Lady Herschel, wrote to her as follows:—.... “Now, my dearest aunt, you must let me make an earnest petition to you, and that is, that you will _go on_ with your memoir until you leave England and take up your residence in Hanover. How can I tell you how much my heart is set upon the accomplishment of this work?... You know you cannot be _idle_ while you live. But indeed, if I could tell you the influence which a short account by a stranger of _your_ labours with your dear Brother had upon me when a child, and of my choosing _you_ (then so unknown to me) as my guiding star and example, you would understand how the possession of such a record by your own hand would make me almost believe in auguries and presentiments, and perhaps inspire some future generations more worthily, as the record would be more genuine.” August 9, 1841. May we not echo this hope, and feel indeed that “SHE BEING DEAD YET SPEAKETH.” M. C. H. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. PAGE EARLY LIFE IN HANOVER—MUSICAL TALENTS OF HER BROTHER WILLIAM—MARRIAGE OF HER SISTER—THE REGIMENT ORDERED TO ENGLAND—HER FATHER’S INDUSTRY—TYPHUS FEVER—CONFIRMATION—DEATH OF FATHER—ACCOMPANIES WILLIAM TO ENGLAND 1 CHAPTER II. LIFE IN BATH—HEIMWEH—THE MIGHTY TELESCOPE—LAST PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC—CASTING THE GREAT MIRROR—WILLIAM HERSCHEL GOES TO LONDON—MADE ROYAL ASTRONOMER—REMOVAL TO DATCHET—ACCIDENTS—GRANT OF £2,000—LIFE AT SLOUGH—LETTERS FROM HANOVER—DISCOVERY OF A COMET 29 CHAPTER III. WILLIAM HERSCHEL’S MARRIAGE—DISCOVERY OF THE EIGHTH COMET—EXTRACTS FROM DAY-BOOK AND DIARY—VISIT TO BATH—RETURN TO SLOUGH—RESIDES AT UPTON—ILLNESS—FEAR OF BLINDNESS 78 CHAPTER IV. EXTRACTS FROM DIARY—WILLIAM HERSCHEL KNIGHTED—FAILING HEALTH—HER BROTHER’S PORTRAIT—DEATH OF ALEXANDER—DEATH OF SIR WILLIAM—HER RETURN TO HANOVER—RECOLLECTIONS WRITTEN AT HANOVER 118 CHAPTER V. RETROSPECTION—LIFE IN HANOVER—HER HUMILITY—HER WORKS—MADE HON. MEMBER OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY—HER SWEEPINGS—BLANK IN HER LIFE AT HANOVER—LETTERS TO LADY HERSCHEL—LETTERS BETWEEN HER AND HER NEPHEW—VISIT FROM HER NEPHEW—FINISHES HER CATALOGUE OF THE NEBULÆ 141