Memoir and Correspondence of Caroline HerschelHerschel, John, Mrs.
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Memoir and Correspondence of Caroline Herschel
Herschel, John, Mrs.
Herschel, Caroline Lucretia, 1750-1848
At this present moment I have nothing to wish for, besides the means of
convincing myself by one look of your and my dear nephew’s health. After
a very troublesome passage of forty-eight hours, we find ourselves
almost restored to our former condition and composure, with only the
difference that we have no more hunting after our trunks from
Custom-house to Custom-house, and can proceed on our way to Hanover in
peace after one night’s rest here in a very good inn. But the last night
was truly dismal, for the sailors themselves confessed that it was what
is called a high sea. At one time a spray conveyed a bucket-full of
water into my bed, which was regarded as nothing in comparison to the
evils with which I was surrounded. I was the most sick of all on board,
and the poor old lady was pitied by all who enquired after her, but I
had four ladies in the same cabin with me, who encouraged me to hold
out, which at one time I thought would have been impossible. Something
happened to the vessel for want of a good pilot in the Thames, and at
Blackwall we laid still three hours, then we hobbled on to near
Gravesend, and there lay in a high sea at anchor all night, whilst they
were hatching and thumping to mend the vessel we were to go in. In
consequence of this, we could not reach the spot where a pilot could
meet us time enough on Sunday evening, and lay again at anchor. At half
past eleven I set foot on shore, where so many people were assembled to
gaze on us that it set me a crying, and now I am glad to be shut up once
more in a room by myself and where I can make proper preparations for
travelling further, which hitherto I have not had the opportunity of
doing. All my clothes which I had prepared for the ship or sleeping on
the road were locked up at the Custom-house, and I could not get hold of
them again till we entered this house. So much for our adventures at
present, and I beg and hope you will soon and often let us know how you
are with my nephew, and how and where you can pass the following winter
months in the most comfortable way.
My brother is gone into the street to look about him. The weather is
fine, and I wish my dear nephew was with him, for it looks very tempting
and new all about me, and I think he would enjoy seeing the bustle on
the water with which this house is surrounded. My brother has charged me
with millions of compliments and thanks to yourself and our nephew, but
I cannot afford him quite so many, as else there would be no room for
all those I owe to my dear Lady H. and my nephew, who took last Friday
so long a walk to see us once more. My fears for what was to come and
regret for what I left behind were so stupifying that it made me almost
insensible to all what was passing about me, only this I shall remember,
with satisfaction, that his looks were better than I have seen for a
long time past.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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