and our treatises have about 100 to 800 pages of
space each, so that one might give the more popular view, and
another the analytical abstracts and illustrations. In England there
are now not twenty people who know this great work, except by name;
and not a hundred who know it even by name. My firm belief is that
Mrs. Somerville could add two cyphers to each of those figures. Will
you be my counsel in this suit? Of course our names are concealed,
and no one of our council but myself needs to know it.

Yours ever most truly,
H. BROUGHAM.

My mother in alluding to the above says:--

* * * * *

This letter surprised me beyond expression. I thought Lord Brougham must
have been mistaken with regard to my acquirements, and naturally
concluded that my self-acquired knowledge was so far inferior to that
of the men who had been educated in our universities that it would be
the height of presumption to attempt to write on such a subject or
indeed on any other. A few days after this Lord Brougham came to Chelsea
himself, and Somerville joined with him in urging me at least to make
the attempt. I said, "Lord Brougham, you must be aware that the work in
question never can be popularized, since the student must at least know
something of the differential and integral calculi, and as a preliminary
step I should have to prove various problems in physical mechanics and
astronomy. Besides, La Place never gives diagrams or figures, because
they are not necessary to persons versed in the calculus, but they would
be indispensable in a work such as you wish me to write. I am afraid I
am incapable of such a task: but as you both wish it so much, I shall do
my very best upon condition of secrecy, and that if I fail the
manuscript shall be put into the fire." Thus suddenly and unexpectedly
the whole character and course of my future life was changed.

I rose early and made such arrangements with regard to my children and
family affairs that I had time to write afterwards; not, however,
without many interruptions. A man can always command his time under the
plea of business, a woman is not allowed any such excuse. At Chelsea I
was always supposed to be at home, and as my friends and acquaintances
came so far out of their way on purpose to see me, it would have been
unkind and ungenerous not