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

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PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS,

FROM EARLY LIFE TO OLD AGE,

OF

MARY SOMERVILLE.

WITH

Selections from her Correspondence.

BY HER DAUGHTER, MARTHA SOMERVILLE.

FIFTH THOUSAND.

LONDON:
JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET,
1874.

[_The Right of Translation is reserved._]




WORKS BY MRS. SOMERVILLE.

       *     *     *     *     *

THE MECHANISM OF THE HEAVENS. 8vo. 1831.

THE CONNECTION OF THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES. _9th Edition._ Post 8vo. 9_s._
1858.

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. _6th Edition._ Post 8vo. 9_s._ 1870.

MOLECULAR AND MICROSCOPIC SCIENCE. 2 vols. Post 8vo. 21_s._ 1869.

[Transcriber's Note: commentary by the author, with the exception of her
opening and closing words are enclosed in square brackets. In the original
text, only an open square bracket was used.]


CONTENTS.


    CHAPTER I.                                                         PAGE

    INTRODUCTION--PARENTAGE--LIFE IN SCOTLAND IN THE LAST
    CENTURY--EARLY EDUCATION--SCHOOL                                      1


    CHAPTER II.

    FREEDOM--RELIGIOUS EDUCATION--JEDBURGH                               24


    CHAPTER III.

    EDINBURGH--YOUTHFUL STUDIES AND AMUSEMENTS--POLITICS--THE
    THEATRES OF THE TIME                                                 41


    CHAPTER IV.

    EDINBURGH SUPPER PARTIES--TOUR IN THE HIGHLANDS--MUTINY
    IN THE FLEET--BATTLE OF CAMPERDOWN                                   61


    CHAPTER V.

    FIRST MARRIAGE (1804)--WIDOWHOOD--STUDIES--SECOND MARRIAGE           73


    CHAPTER VI.

    SOMERVILLE FAMILY--DR. SOMERVILLE'S CHARACTER--LETTERS--JOURNEY
    TO THE LAKES--DEATH OF SIR WILLIAM FAIRFAX--REMINISCENCES
    OF SIR WALTER SCOTT                                                  83


    CHAPTER VII.

    LIFE IN HANOVER SQUARE--VISIT TO FRANCE--ARAGO--CUVIER--ROME        104


    CHAPTER VIII.

    EDUCATION OF DAUGHTERS--DR. WOLLASTON--DR. YOUNG--THE
    HERSCHELS                                                           127


    CHAPTER IX.

    SOCIETY IN LONDON--CORONATION OF GEORGE IV.--LETTER TO
    DR. SOMERVILLE                                                      140


    CHAPTER X.

    DEATH OF MARGARET SOMERVILLE--LETTER FROM MRS. SOMERVILLE
    TO THE REV. DR. SOMERVILLE--LIFE AT CHELSEA--THE
    NAPIERS--MARIA EDGEWORTH--TOUR IN GERMANY                           152


    CHAPTER XI.

    LETTER FROM LORD BROUGHAM--WRITES "MECHANISM OF THE
    HEAVENS"--ANECDOTE OF THE ROMAN IMPROVISATRICE--LETTERS
    FROM SIR JOHN HERSCHEL AND PROFESSOR WHEWELL--ELECTED
    HON. MEMBER OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL
    SOCIETY--NOTICE IN THE ACADÉMIE DES SCIENCES, AND
    LETTER FROM M. BIOT--PENSION--LETTER FROM SIR ROBERT
    PEEL--BEGINS TO WRITE ON THE CONNECTION OF THE
    PHYSICAL SCIENCES--VISIT TO CAMBRIDGE--LETTERS FROM
    PROFESSOR SEDGWICK AND LAPLACE                                      161


    CHAPTER XII.

    PARIS--ARAGO, LAFAYETTE, MM. BOUVARD, POISSON, LACROIX,
    &C., MARQUISE DE LAPLACE, DUPIN, F. COOPER--LEGITIMISTE
    SOCIETY--MAJENDIE--VISIT BARON LOUIS--LETTER FROM
    LAFAYETTE                                                           183


    CHAPTER XIII.

    RETURN TO ENGLAND--LETTER FROM HALLAM--TREATISE ON THE
    FORM AND ROTATION OF THE EARTH AND PLANETS--SECOND
    EDITION OF "THE CONNEXION OF THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES"--LETTERS
    FROM MARIA EDGEWORTH, MISS BERRY, LORD
    BROUGHAM, MRS. MARCET, ADMIRAL SMYTH--DOUBLE STARS--ECLIPSE
    OF DOUBLE STARS--LETTER FROM ADMIRAL SMYTH--SIR
    WILLIAM HERSCHEL--NEBULÆ--LETTER FROM LORD
    ROSSE--LETTER FROM SIR JOHN HERSCHEL--SIR JAMES
    SOUTH'S OBSERVATORY--MR. JOHN MURRAY--MISS BERRY--LORD
    DUDLEY--MR. BOWDITCH AND OTHER DISTINGUISHED
    AMERICANS--MRS. BROWNING WASHINGTON--LETTER FROM
    THE REV. DR. TUCKERMAN--SIR WILLIAM FAIRFAX ATTACKED
    BY HIGHWAYMEN                                                       198


    CHAPTER XIV.

    ROME, NAPLES, AND COMO--BADEN--WINTER AT FLORENCE--SIENA--LETTER
    FROM LORD BROUGHAM--MR MOUNTSTEWART
    ELPHINSTONE--LIFE AT ROME--CAMPAGNA CATTLE                          230


    CHAPTER XV.

    ALBANO--POPULAR SINGING--LETTERS FROM MRS.
    SOMERVILLE--GIBSON--PERUGIA--COMET
    OF 1843--SUMMER AT VENICE--LETTERS
    FROM MRS. SOMERVILLE AND MISS JOANNA BAILLIE--ELECTED
    ASSOCIATE OF THE COLLEGE OF RESURGENTI AND
    R.I. ACADEMY OF SCIENCE AT AREZZO                                   243


    CHAPTER XVI.

    PUBLISHES "PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY"--LETTER FROM HUMBOLDT--CHRISTMAS
    AT COLLINGWOOD--LETTER FROM MRS. SOMERVILLE--FARADAY--LETTER
    FROM FARADAY--KEITH JOHNSTON'S
    MAPS--WINTER AT MUNICH--SALZBURG--LAKE OF GARDA--MINISCALCHI--POEM
    BY CATERINA BRENZONI--LETTER FROM
    BRENZONI--LETTER FROM MRS.