Personal Recollections, from Early Life to Old Age, of Mary Somerville Part 17

We spent the autumn in visiting my relations on the banks of the Tweed.

I was much out of health at the time. As winter came on I got better, and was preparing to print my "Physical Geography" when "Cosmos"

appeared. I at once determined to put my ma.n.u.script in the fire when Somerville said, "Do not be rash--consult some of our friends--Herschel for instance." So I sent the MS. to Sir John Herschel, who advised me by all means to publish it. It was very favourably reviewed by Sir Henry Holland in the "Quarterly," which tended much to its success. I afterwards sent a copy of a later edition to Baron Humboldt, who wrote me a very kind letter in return.

BARON HUMBOLDT TO MRS. SOMERVILLE.

A SANS SOUCI, _ce 12 Juillet, 1849_.

MADAME,

C'est un devoir bien doux a remplir, Madame, que de vous offrir l'hommage renouvelle de mon devouement et de ma respectueuse admiration. Ces sentimens datent de bien loin chez l'homme antidiluvien auquel vous avez daigne adresser des lignes si aimables et la nouvelle edition de ce bel ouvrage qui m'a charme et _instruit_ des qu'il avait paru pour la premiere fois. A cette grande superiorite que vous possedez et qui a si n.o.blement ill.u.s.tre votre nom, dans les hautes regions de l'a.n.a.lyse mathematique, vous joignez, Madame, une variete de connaissances dans toutes les parties de la physique et de l'histoire naturelle descriptive. Apres votre "Mechanism of the Heavens," le philosophique ouvrage "Connexion of the Physical Sciences" avait ete l'objet de ma constante admiration. Je l'ai lu en entier et puis relu dans la septieme edition qui a paru en 1846 dans les tems ou nous etions plus calme, ou l'orage politique ne grondait que de loin. L'auteur de l'imprudent "Cosmos" devoit saluer plus que tout autre la "Geographie Physique" de Mary Somerville. J'ai su me la procurer des les premieres semaines par les soins de notre ami commun le Chev.

Bunsen. Je ne connais dans aucune langue un ouvrage de Geographie physique que l'on pourrait comparer au votre. Je l'ai de nouveau etudie dans la derniere edition que je dois a votre gracieuse bienveillance. Le sentiment de precision que vos habitudes de "Geometre" vous ont si profondement imprime, penetre tous vos travaux, Madame. Aucun fait, aucune des grandes vues de la nature vous echappent. Vous avez profite et des livres et des conversations des voyageurs dans cette malheureuse Italie ou pa.s.se la grande route de l'Orient et de l'Inde. J'ai ete surpris de la justice de vos apercus sur la Geographie des plantes et des animaux. Vous dominez dans ces regions comme en astronomie, en meteorologie, en magnetisme. Que n'ajoutez-vous pas la sphere celeste, l'uranologie, votre patrimoine, a la sphere terrestre? C'est vous seule qui pourriez donner a votre belle literature un ouvrage cosmologique original, un ouvrage ecrit avec cette lucidite et ce gout que distingue tout ce qui est emane de votre plume. On a, je le sais, beaucoup de bienveillance pour mon Cosmos dans votre patrie; mais il en est des _formes_ de composition litteraires, comme de la variete des races et de la difference primitive des langues. Un ouvrage traduit manque de vie; ce que plait sur les bords du Rhin doit paraitre bizarre sur les bords de la Tamise et de la Seine. Mon ouvrage est une production essentiellement allemande, et ce caractere meme, j'en suis sur, loin de m'en plaindre lui donne le gout du terroir. Je jouis d'une bonne fortune a laquelle (a cause de mon long sejour en France, de mes predilections personnelles, de mes heresies politiques) le _Leopard_ ne m'avait pas trop accoutume. Je demande a l'ill.u.s.tre auteur du volume sur la Mecanique Celeste d'avoir le courage d'agrandir sa Geographie Physique. Je suis sur que le grand homme que nous aimons le plus, vous et moi, Sir John Herschel, serait de mon opinion. Le MONDE, je me sers du t.i.tre que Descartes voulait donner a un livre dont nous n'avons que de pauvres fragmens; le _Monde_ doit etre ecrit pour les Anglais par un auteur de race pure. Il n'y a pas de seve, pas de vitalite dans les traductions les mieux faites. Ma sante s'est conserve miraculeus.e.m.e.nt a l'age de quatre-vingts ans, de mon ardeur pour le travail nocturne au milieu des agitations d'une position que je n'ai pas besoin de vous depeindre puisque l'excellente Mademoiselle de ---- vous l'a fait connaitre. J'ai bouleverse, change mes deux volumes des "Ansichten." Il n'en est reste que 1/4. C'est comme un nouvel ouvrage que j'aurai bientot le bonheur de vous adresser si M.

Cotta pense pouvoir hasarder une publication dans ces tems ou la force physique croit guerir un mal moral et _vacciner_ le contentement a l'Allemagne unitaire!! Le troisieme volume de mon Cosmos avance, mais la serenite manque aux ames moins credules.

Agreez, je vous supplie, l'hommage de mon affectueuse et respectueuse reconnaissance,

ALEXANDRE DE HUMBOLDT.

Somerville and I spent the Christmas at Collingwood with our friends the Herschels. The party consisted of Mr. Airy, Astronomer-Royal, and Mr.

Adams, who had taken high honours at Cambridge. This young man and M.

Leverrier, the celebrated French astronomer, had separately calculated the orbit of Neptune and announced it so nearly at the same time, that each country claims the honour of the discovery. Mr. Adams told Somerville that the following sentence in the sixth edition of the "Connexion of the Physical Sciences," published in the year 1842, put it into his head to calculate the orbit of Neptune. "If after the lapse of years the tables formed from a combination of numerous observations should be still inadequate to represent the motions of Ura.n.u.s, the discrepancies may reveal the existence, nay, even the ma.s.s and orbit of a body placed for ever beyond the sphere of vision." That prediction was fulfilled in 1846, by the discovery of Neptune revolving at the distance of 3,000,000,000 of miles from the sun. The ma.s.s of Neptune, the size and position of his...o...b..t in s.p.a.ce, and his periodic time, were determined from his disturbing action on Ura.n.u.s before the planet itself had been seen.

We left Collingwood as ever with regret.

[The following is an extract from a letter written by my mother during this visit:--]

FROM MRS. SOMERVILLE TO W. GREIG, ESQ.

COLLINGWOOD, _1st January, 1848_.

... You can more easily conceive than I can describe the great kindness and affection which we have received from both Sir John and Lady Herschel; I feel a pride and pleasure beyond what I can express in having such friends. Collingwood is a house by itself in the world, there certainly is nothing like it for all that is great and good. The charm of the conversation is only equalled by its variety--every subject Sir John touches turns to doubly refined gold; profound, brilliant, amiable, and highly poetical, I could never end admiring and praising him. Then the children are so nice and he so kind and amusing to them, making them quite his friends and companions.

Yours, my dearest Woronzow, Most affectionately, M. SOMERVILLE.

We had formed such a friends.h.i.+p with Mr. Faraday that while we lived abroad he sent me a copy of everything he published, and on returning to England we renewed our friends.h.i.+p with that ill.u.s.trious philosopher, and attended his lectures at the Royal Inst.i.tution. He had already magnetized a ray of polarised light, but was still lecturing on the magnetic and diamagnetic properties of matter. At the last lecture we attended he showed the diamagnetism of flame, which had been proved by a foreign philosopher. Mr. Faraday never would accept of any honour; he lived in a circle of friends to whom he was deeply attached. A touching and beautiful memoir was published of him by his friend and successor, Professor Tyndall, an experimental philosopher of the very highest genius.

[The following letter was the last my mother received from Faraday:--]

FROM PROFESSOR FARADAY TO MRS. SOMERVILLE.

ROYAL INSt.i.tUTION, _17th January, 1859_.

MY DEAR MRS. SOMERVILLE,

So you have remembered me again, and I have the delight of receiving from you a new copy of that work which has so often instructed me; and I may well say, cheered me in my simple homely course through life in this house. It was most kind to think of me; but ah! how sweet it is to believe that I have your _approval_ in matters where kindness would be nothing, where judgment alone must rule. I almost doubt myself when I think I have your approbation, to some degree at least, in what I may have thought or said about gravitation, the forces of nature, their conservation, &c. As it is, I _cannot_ go back from these thoughts; on the contrary, I feel encouraged to go on by way of experiment, but am not so able as I was formerly; for when I try to hold the necessary group of thoughts in mind at one time, with the judgment suspended on almost all of them, then my head becomes giddy, and I am obliged to lay all aside for a while. I am trying for _time_ in magnetic action, and do not despair of reaching it, even though it may be only that of light. _Nous verrons._

I have been putting into one volume various papers of mine on experimental branches in chemistry and physics. The index and t.i.tle-page has gone to the printer, and I expect soon to receive copies from him. I shall ask Mr. Murray to help me in sending one to you which I hope you will honour by acceptance. There is nothing new in it, except a few additional pages about "_regelation_," and also "gravity." It is useful to get one's scattered papers together with an index, and society seems to like the collection sufficiently to pay the expenses.... Pray remember me most kindly to all with whom I may take that privilege, and believe me to be most truly,

Your admirer and faithful servant, M. FARADAY.

[My mother wrote of this letter:--]

FLORENCE, _8th February, 1859_.

... I have had the most charming and gratifying letter from Faraday; I cannot tell you how I value such a mark of approbation and friends.h.i.+p from the greatest experimental philosopher and discoverer next to Newton.

We returned to the continent in autumn, so I could not superintend the publication of my "Physical Geography," but Mr. Pentland kindly undertook to carry it through the press. Though I never was personally acquainted with Mr. Keith Johnston, of Edinburgh, that eminent geographer gave me copies of both the first and second editions of his splendid "Atlas of Physical Geography," which were of the greatest use to me. Besides, he published some time afterwards a small "School Atlas of Ancient, Modern, and Physical Geography," intended to accompany my work; obligations which I gratefully acknowledge. No one has attempted to copy my "Connexion of the Physical Sciences," the subjects are too difficult; but soon after the publication of the "Physical Geography" a number of cheap books appeared, just keeping within the letter of the law, on which account it has only gone through five editions. However a sixth is now required.

The moment was unfavourable for going into Italy, as war was raging between Charles Albert and the Austrians, so we resolved to remain at Munich, and wait the course of events. We got a very pretty little apartment, well furnished with stoves, and opposite the house of the Marchese Fabio Pallavicini, formerly Sardinian minister at Munich. We spent most of our evenings very pleasantly at their house. We attended the concerts at the Odeon of cla.s.sical music: the execution was perfect, but the music was so refined and profound that it pa.s.sed my comprehension, and I thought it tedious. The hours at Munich were so early that the opera ended almost at the time it began in London.

In the spring we went to Salzburg, where we remained all summer. We had an apartment in a dilapidated old chateau, about an hour's walk from the town, called Leopold's Krone. The picturesque situation of the town reminded me of the Castle and Old Town of Edinburgh. The view from our windows was alpine, and the trees bordering the roads were such as I have rarely seen out of England. We made many excursions to Berchtesgaden, where King Louis and his court were then living, and went to the upper end of the Konigsee. I have repeatedly been at sea in very stormy weather without the smallest idea of fear; but the black, deep water of this lake, under the shadow of the precipitous mountains, made a disagreeable impression on me. I thought if I were to be drowned I should prefer the blue sea to that cold, black pool. The flora was lovely, and on returning from our expeditions in the evening, the damp, mossy banks were luminous with glowworms: I never saw so many, either before or since. We never fail to make acquaintances wherever we go, and our friends at Munich had given us letters to various people who were pa.s.sing the summer there, many of whom had evening receptions once a week. At the Countess Irene Arco's beautiful Gothic chateau of Anif, which rises out of a small pellucid lake, and is reached by a bridge, we spent many pleasant evenings, as well as at Countess Bellegarde's, and at Aigen, which belonged to the Cardinal Schwartzenberg. We never saw him, but went to visit his niece, with whom we were intimate.

The war being over, we went by Innsbruck and the Brenner to Cola, on the Lago di Garda, within five miles of Peschiera, where we spent a month with Count and Countess Erizzo Miniscalchi, who had been our intimate friends for many years. The devastation of the country was frightful.

Peschiera and its fortifications were in ruins; the villages around had been burnt down, and the wretched inhabitants were beginning to repair their roofless houses. Our friends themselves had but recently returned to Cola, which, from its commanding situation, was always the headquarters of whatever army was in possession of the country around.

On this account, the family had to fly more than once at the approach of the enemy. In 1848 the Countess had fled to Milan, and was confined at the very time the Austrians under Radetsky were besieging the town, which was defended by Charles Albert. Fearing what might occur when the city was surrendered, the lady, together with her new-born infant and the rest of her family, escaped the next day with considerable difficulty, and travelled to Genoa.

Although not acquainted with quite so many languages as Mezzofanti, Count Miniscalchi is a remarkable linguist, especially with regard to Arabic and other oriental tongues. He has availed himself of his talent, and published several works, the most interesting of which is a translation of the Gospel of St. John from Syro-Chaldaic (the language probably spoken by our Saviour) into Latin. The ma.n.u.script, from which this translation is made, is preserved in the Vatican.

[While we were at Cola my mother received a visit from a very distinguished and gifted lady, the Countess Bon-Brenzoni. As an instance of the feelings entertained by an Italian woman towards my mother, I insert a letter written by the Countess some time afterwards, and also an extract from her poems:--]

FROM THE COUNTESS BON-BRENZONI TO MRS. SOMERVILLE.

VERONA, _28 Maggio, 1853_.

ILl.u.s.tRE SIGNORA,

Fui molto contenta udendo che finalmente le sia giunto l'involto contenente le copie stampate del Carme, ch' ebbi l'onore di poterle offerire, mentre io era in gran pensiero non forse fossero insorte difficolta, o ritardi, in causa della posta. Ma, ben piu che per questo la sua graziosissima lettera mi fu di vera consolazione, per l'accoglienza tutta benevola e generosa ch' Ella fece a' miei versi.

La ringrazio delle parole piene di bonta ch' Ella mi scrive, e di aversi preso la gentil cura di farlo in italiano; cos potess' io ricambiarla scrivendo a Lei in inglese! Pur mi conforta la certezza che il linguaggio delle anime sia uno solo; mentre io non so s' io debba chiamar presunzione, o ispirazione questa, che mi fa credere, che esista fra la sua e la mia una qualche intelligenza, e quantunque i suoi meriti e la sua bonta me ne spieghino in gran parte il mistero, pure trovo essere cosa non comune questo pensiero, che al mio cuore parla di Lei incessantemente, da quel giorno ch' io l'ho veduta per la prima e l'unica volta!

Ah se e vero che fra i sentimenti di compiacenza ch' Ella prov per gli elogi ottenuti de' suoi lavori, abbia saputo trovar luogo fra i piu cari quello che le dest nell' animo l'espressione viva e sincera della mia ammirazione e del mio umile affetto, io raggiunsi un punto a cui certo non avea osato aspirare!

Il trovarmi con Lei a Cola, od altrove che fosse, e uno de' miei piu cari desideri, e son lieta delle sue parole che me ne danno qualche speranza.

Voglia presentare i miei distinti doveri all' eccelente suo Sig^re marito ed alle amabili figlie; e mentre io le prego da Dio le piu desiderabili benedizioni, Ella si ricordi di me siccome di una persona, che sebbene lontana fisicamente, le e sempre vicina coll'

animo, nei sentimenti della piu affetuosa venerazione.