The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-09-19
Tuesday Morning, Sept. 10, 1866.
MRS. soxERy1T.r.H

MRS. SOMERvILLHE. - w Ff.
In Mrs. Farrar's "Recolections of Seventy
Years,n just issued from the press Of
Ticknor and Fields, we find the following ac-
count Of the writer's first introduction to Mrs.
Somerville, the accomplished female astrono-
mer AJ AE3 IA
"When travelling in Europe, it is great adj
vantage to belong to some profassion or to be
devoted to some special object, as that introdu-
ces you to persons of similar pursuits, who feel
a pleasure in forwarding your views, and pay
you attentions accordingly.
Inever was aware of this until / travelled
with my husband, who was an astronomer and
mathematician, and so well known as such, in
England that the Professor Of Mathematics in
Cambridge wrote to him, "CoIne to Cambridge /:
you need bring no letters of introduction; we
all know you, and we want 70 sec YOU" =.
When MIR. Farrar visited the Royal Observa-
tory at Greenwich, / was allowed to accompa-
ny him, and the gentleman who received us.
told me that was enjoying a privilege which
no duchess in the land could command So
much for being the wife Of an astronomer
No spot in England was visited by the Har-
ward Professor with so much interest as that
plain one story building, ON a small but abrupt
hill in Greenwich Park We went all over it
just before noon, and wished to see the observ-
or take the SUMS meridian, but that was not
allowed, forit was a matter of such nice OBJ
servation, that the mere breathing of another
person in the room might spoil its accuracy
This fact interested him. He looked with rev.
erence on spot which had been the fountain
of such rich streams OF seence and was SO in
timately connected with the history of astron-
ony rsf4sa 81
AS soon as that distinguished astronomer
Mrs. Someryille, heard that Mr.. Farrar was in
London, she senth him message by I4ucy Ak
in, to ask him to come and see her, and to say
she would be at home every morning during
the next week, till he came, that she might be
sure to see him. She sent me word that she
never made any calls, or she would come to
see me, but she hoped would accompany my
husband. &, ssS gFfsltBs 80
We of course obeyed this gratifying sum-
mons, and went down to Chelsea early in the
week DIR. Somerville was governor ofthe hos
ptal there for invalid soldiers, and lived in the
building, wherever handsome suites of apart
rnents. He met us in the hall, and ushered us
into a large room all in one. There sat the
pretty, refined, and elegant woman, who had
astonished the scientific world by her transla-
ton and thorongh comprehension of a plA--'s
grand work ON the 1aaohssrripnI OF the heavens
SbereceiVed US most cordially, and after few
minutes of general conversation DR.. Somer-
vile invited me to the other end of the room
to look at a cabinet of minerals, collected BY
his wife. While showing them he was con-
tinualy looking over his shoulder at Mrs.
IL
claimed, "Ahi they have got at it now;
thought they would, Il we left them alone.'--
Sure enough, they were talking away on the
higher branches Of mathematics and astrono-
my. asjss bIle 1sIes A8se .ia
Several oil paintings, of Swiss scenery, at
tracted my observation, and Dr. Somervie
told me they were done by his wife, from
sketches made from nature, and that her fa-
vorite recreation was a tour in Switzerland,
He showed me also collection of botanical
specimens gathered there. Sol discovered
that this great mathematician was also a bot
anist Inineraogist, and artist
The two astronomers so enjoyed talking to-
gcther, that was obliged, at last, to interrupt
them and remind my husband that it was time
togo. Mrs. Somerville would not let us depart
without naming a day when we would dine
with her, and meet the Astronomer Royal, Mr..
Bailey. That done, we drove back to town,
delighted with our visit. Mr.. Farrar was iu.i
of admiration for the extraordinary attain
ments of Mrs. Somervile, and net less charm
ed by her feminine graces and modest unpre-
tending manners. .sf saa
Our dinner visit proved equally agreeable
We then saw her two grown-up daughters,
and met the Astronomer Royal. The CONVEX
sation was on common topics; the dinner was
simple-not many dishes-but everything of
the best; and 1 observed that the footman
took his orders about the dinner from his mas
ter. As the Doctor was Obliged to cater for
JLt uOoplIdl, suppose ne LOOK LuG care Oh pro-
Viding for his own table. Mrs. Somervilles ex-
quisite toilette and the dressing of her beau
tiful brown hair showed that the mosta bstruse
studies had detracted nothing from a proper
womanly attention to appearances.
When the ladies retired from the dinner-ta-
bic, we all looked over a box Of birds just ar
rived from South America, and admired their
brilliant plumage. They were prepared for
stuffing, with the flesh and bones taken out
and the box contained great number OF them.
Leaving the young ladies to talk ornithology
over them, asked Mrs, SomerVille 10 tell me
what first turned her attention to mathema-
tics. and she very readily gave the following
Her father, Admiral Fairfax, was constantly
at sea, in the service of his country, and her
mother lived in very retired spot in Scotland,
during his absence. The only village near
them was within walking distance, and the
family often went there to make small pur-
chases, and visit the rooms OF the dressmaker
and milliner, who took a magazine which con-
famed the fashions Looking over it one day,
Mrs. Somerville saw some questions given
which were to be answered by algebra. She |
uio hot know what algebra was, but she
thought she could answer by an arithrnetical
CALCULATION. This she did very easy and in |
the next number OF the magazine she saw that |
she was right Her curiosity. however wac |
excited as to what algebra was, and she made
inquiries OF LII; oqmeryllie, the father of her |
n nHkf
Gle on algebra in Che Encyclopedia, which he |
possessed, and she carried the heavy volnnoa |
home She soon understood the subject s,rsI and |
was delighted with thai method of doing sums |
Her father was with them in Edinburgh the
following winter, and there she found the aid |
she neeaa1.a1. and pursued her studies into the
higher branches Of mathematics, and became
SO fond of the science, that Il has since been
her most delightful occupation. A''
When we ordered our carriage to return to
town DR.. Somerville asked If we would give Mr..
bailey seat, which we were happy to do. The
Two astronomers talked incessantly all the
way 70 London, and l listened in sileut amaze
ment, at not being able to understand anything
they SAID, They seemed to me to be talking
y i1llts es, and half-spoken phrases; they were
- lalnillar with their subject that word or
Two was sufficient to convey their ideas; but
10 me they were pnintelligible. The effect
was very curious of having peone converse in !
English, without being able 20 understand
what they said. va s's.-e
was told by a common friend that Mrs
eomerYllle was good Greek and Latin % schol' |
~, and that she spoke French and Ttaia,, ,rom
but she told me herself that she never conId |
learn German, and she had tried baconsa ~
was The fayorite language of her daughters
VINO Always spoke 1t to each other
1 saw Mrs. SomerVile but once more and
then she did me the favor Of calling on me ,s';n n
London and spending an hour. she was fnli |
OF feeling for friend in afliiction. and talko,, |
chiefly of her Mrs, Someryie was married |