bservatory. Should they not allow the necessary sum, I
must return to surveying once more."

. . .

Magnetic Observatory, Melbourne, March 16th, 1859.

MY DEAR MOTHER,

It gave me much pleasure to receive a letter from you by the
last mail; but I can assure you that I am always so busy, and the
time passes so quickly, that I had almost forgotten to write to you
until it was too late, as the mail closes early to-morrow morning.
I am now living at the Observatory, Professor Neumayer having
kindly given me a room here, which is a great advantage in many
ways. I hope that Charley will take every opportunity of learning
the things I mentioned in a letter to him some time ago, more
especially mathematical drawing: and that I shall see in the next
letter I receive from him that he has changed his mind as regards
the profession he said he had a taste for. I wish he would find out
for me whether there is a translation into English of Colonel
Savage's Practical Astronomy. It is a Russian work, and the place
to inquire is of some of the booksellers in London who confine
themselves to foreign publications. I like my present employment
more and more every day. My only trouble is the want of time. I
hope you all find your time pass as easily as I do; if the girls do
not, they may as well kill some of it by writing letters. I have so
much to do that I must conclude, with love to all.

Ever, my dear mother,

Your affectionate son,

WILLIAM J. WILLS.

. . .

Magnetic Observatory, June 17th, 1859.

MY DEAR MOTHER,

It was my intention to have sent you a stereoscopic photograph
of your dear son by this mail; but owing to pressure of business I
have been unable to get it done in time. I must therefore leave it
until next month. I received a letter from Ballaarat a day or two
ago, containing one from you to my father; you say something in it
about not hearing from me. I do not understand how that is, as I
have been wonderfully regular lately, and have sent a letter every
month to one of you. I am sorry to hear that the winter has been so
mild, for I fear that may cause much damage from frost in the
spring. We have had a considerable quantity of rain here already,
which is a great benefit to the country generally, but makes it
rather unpleasant in Melbourne. Wonderful improvements have been
made in our public library lately. It is now really a splendid one;
in fact there are very few better anywhere. I enclose a News
Letter