Opening the text

Personal Recollections, from Early Life to Old Age, of Mary SomervilleSomerville, Mary

History

Personal Recollections, from Early Life to Old Age, of Mary Somerville

Name: Personal Recollections, from Early Life to Old Age, of Mary Somerville
Author: Somerville, Mary

Somerville, Mary

Somerville, Mary, 1780-1872; Women scientists -- Great Britain -- Biography

My son, Woronzow Greig, had been educated at Trinity College, Cambridge,
and was travelling on the Continent, when Somerville and I received an
invitation from the Principal, Dr. Whewell, to visit the University. Mr.
Airy, then astronomer at Cambridge, now Astronomer-Royal at Greenwich,
and Mrs. Airy kindly wished us to be their guests; but as the
Observatory was at some distance from Cambridge, it was decided that we
should have an apartment in Trinity College itself; an unusual favour
where a lady is concerned. Mr. Sedgwick, the geologist, made the
arrangements, received us, and we spent the first day at dinner with
him. He is still alive[10]--one of my few coevals--either in Cambridge
or England. The week we spent in Cambridge, receiving every honour from
the heads of the University, was a period of which I have ever borne a
proud and grateful remembrance.

    [Professor Sedgwick wrote as follows to my father:--]

    FROM PROFESSOR SEDGWICK TO DR. SOMERVILLE.

    TRINITY COLLEGE, _April, 1834_.

    MY DEAR SOMERVILLE,

    Your letter delighted us. I have ordered dinner on Thursday at 6-1/2
    and shall have a small party to welcome you and Mrs. Somerville. In
    order that we may not have to fight for you, we have been entering
    on the best arrangements we can think of. On Tuesday you will, I
    hope, dine with Peacock; on Wednesday with Whewell; on Thursday at
    the Observatory. For Friday, Dr. Clarke, our Professor of Anatomy,
    puts in a claim. For the other days of your visit we shall, D.V.,
    find ample employment. A four-poster bed now (a thing utterly out of
    our regular monastic system) will rear its head for you and Madame
    in the chambers immediately below my own; and your handmaid may
    safely rest her bones in a small inner chamber. Should Sheepshanks
    return, we can stuff him into a lumber room of the observatory; but
    of this there is no fear as I have written to him on the subject,
    and he has no immediate intention of returning. You will of course
    drive to the great gate of Trinity College, and my servant will be
    in waiting at the Porter's lodge to show you the way to your
    academic residence. We have no cannons at Trinity College, otherwise
    we would fire a salute on your entry; we will however give you the
    warmest greeting we can. Meanwhile give my best regards to Mrs. S.

                             And believe me most truly yours,
                                                        A. SEDGWICK.

       *     *     *     *     *

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

Personal Recollections, from Early Life to Old Age, of Mary SomervilleSomerville, Mary

History

Personal Recollections, from Early Life to Old Age, of Mary Somerville

Somerville, Mary

Somerville, Mary, 1780-1872; Women scientists -- Great Britain -- Biography

My son, Woronzow Greig, had been educated at Trinity College, Cambridge,
and was travelling on the Continent, when Somerville and I received an
invitation from the Principal, Dr. Whewell, to visit the University. Mr.
Airy, then astronomer at Cambridge, now Astronomer-Royal at Greenwich,
and Mrs. Airy kindly wished us to be their guests; but as the
Observatory was at some distance from Cambridge, it was decided that we
should have an apartment in Trinity College itself; an unusual favour
where a lady is concerned. Mr. Sedgwick, the geologist, made the
arrangements, received us, and we spent the first day at dinner with
him. He is still alive[10]--one of my few coevals--either in Cambridge
or England. The week we spent in Cambridge, receiving every honour from
the heads of the University, was a period of which I have ever borne a
proud and grateful remembrance.

    [Professor Sedgwick wrote as follows to my father:--]

    FROM PROFESSOR SEDGWICK TO DR. SOMERVILLE.

    TRINITY COLLEGE, _April, 1834_.

    MY DEAR SOMERVILLE,

    Your letter delighted us. I have ordered dinner on Thursday at 6-1/2
    and shall have a small party to welcome you and Mrs. Somerville. In
    order that we may not have to fight for you, we have been entering
    on the best arrangements we can think of. On Tuesday you will, I
    hope, dine with Peacock; on Wednesday with Whewell; on Thursday at
    the Observatory. For Friday, Dr. Clarke, our Professor of Anatomy,
    puts in a claim. For the other days of your visit we shall, D.V.,
    find ample employment. A four-poster bed now (a thing utterly out of
    our regular monastic system) will rear its head for you and Madame
    in the chambers immediately below my own; and your handmaid may
    safely rest her bones in a small inner chamber. Should Sheepshanks
    return, we can stuff him into a lumber room of the observatory; but
    of this there is no fear as I have written to him on the subject,
    and he has no immediate intention of returning. You will of course
    drive to the great gate of Trinity College, and my servant will be
    in waiting at the Porter's lodge to show you the way to your
    academic residence. We have no cannons at Trinity College, otherwise
    we would fire a salute on your entry; we will however give you the
    warmest greeting we can. Meanwhile give my best regards to Mrs. S.

                             And believe me most truly yours,
                                                        A. SEDGWICK.

       *     *     *     *     *

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Personal Recollections, from Early Life to Old Age, of Mary Somerville

Personal Recollections, from Early Life to Old Age, of Mary Somerville

No reviews yet