han ourselves might people
them.

"On subsequent visits there were many questions from Mrs. Somerville in
regard to the progress of science in America. She regretted, she said,
that she knew so little of what was done in our country.

"From Lieutenant Maury, alone, she received scientific papers. She spoke
of the late Dr. (Nathaniel) Bowditch with great interest, and said she
had corresponded with one of his sons. She asked after Professor Peirce,
whom she considered a great mathematician, and of the Bonds, of
Cambridge. She was much interested in their photography of the stars,
and said it had never been done in Europe. At that time photography was
but just applied to the stars. I had carried to the Royal Astronomical
Society the first successful photograph of a star. It was that of Mizar
and Alcor, in the Great Bear. (Since that time all these things have
improved.)

"The last time I saw Mrs. Somerville, she took me into her garden to
show me her rose-bushes, in which she took great pride. Mrs. Somerville
was not a mathematician only, she spoke Italian fluently, and was in
early life a good musician.

"I could but admire Mrs. Somerville as a woman. The ascent of the steep
and rugged path of science had not unfitted her for the drawing-room
circle; the hours of devotion to close study have not been incompatible
with the duties of wife and mother; the mind that has turned to rigid
demonstration has not thereby lost its faith in those truths which
figures will not prove. 'I have no doubt,' said she, in speaking of the
heavenly bodies, 'that in another state of existence we shall know more
about these things.'

"Mrs. Somerville, at the age of seventy-seven, was interested in every
new improvement, hopeful, cheery, and happy. Her society was sought by
the most cultivated people in the world. [She died at ninety-two.]

"Berlin, May 7, 1858. Humboldt had replied to my letter of introduction
by a note, saying that he should be happy to see me at 2 P.M., May 7. Of
course I was punctual. Humboldt is one of several residents in a very
ordinary-looking house on Oranienberge strasse.

"All along up the flight of stairs to his room were printed notices
telling persons where to leave packages and letters for Alexander
Humboldt.

"The servant showed me at first into a sort of anteroom, hung with
deers' horns and carpeted with tigers' skins, then into the study, and
asked me to take a seat on the sofa. The room was very warm