talking. Sir John is like the elder Mr. Bond, except that he
talks more readily; but he is womanly in his nature, not a
tyrant like Whewell. Sir John is a better listener than any man
I have met in England. He joins in all the chit-chat, is one of
the domestic circle, and tells funny little anecdotes. (So do
Whewell and Airy.)

The Herschels know Abbot Lawrence and Edward Everett--and
everywhere these two have left a good impression. But I am
certainly mortified by anecdotes that I hear of "pushing"
Americans. Mrs. ---- sought an introduction to Sir John Herschel
to tell him about an abridgment of his Astronomy which she had
made, and she intimated to him that in consequence of her
abridgment his work was, or would be, much more widely known in
America. Lady Herschel told me of it, and she remarked, "I
believe Sir John was not much pleased, for he does not like
abridgments." I told her that I had never heard of the
abridgment.

There are other guests in the house: a lady whose sister was
among those killed in India; and her husband, who is an officer
in the army. We have all been playing at "Spelling" this
evening, with the letters, as we did at home last winter.

Sunday, 15th. I thought of going to London to-day, but was
easily persuaded to stay and go with Lady Herschel to-morrow.
All this afternoon I have spent listening to Sir John, who has
shown me his father's manuscript, his aunt's, beautifully neat,
and he told me about his Cape observations.

The telescope used at the Cape of Good Hope lies in the barn
(the glass, of course, taken care of) unused; and Sir John now
occupies himself with writing only. He made many drawings at the
Cape, which he showed me, and very good ones they are. Lady
Herschel offers me a letter to Mrs. Somerville, who is godmother
to one of her children. I am afraid I shall have no letter to
Leverrier, for every one seems to dislike him. Lady Herschel
says he is one of the few persons whom she ever asked for an
autograph; he was her guest, and he refused!

Just as I was coming away, Sir John bustled up to me with a
sheet of paper, saying that he thought I would like some of his
aunt's handwriting and he would give it to me. He had before
given me one of his own calculations; he says if there were no
"war, pestilence, or famine