, 1873-12-07
mary somervi1Ic's "reminiscences.


prtss BY Eeoerts Etetdtrs.
Mr.. DowdiscI, Of Boston, u. j., who died in
1888, loft among other works q" Commentary on
La rlaco's Alecanlqua Celeste iu four Volumes.
OF tho . Physical selonces.'I received latter
from his eon, Alr. II. Bowditch, requesting mo
10 wr;to an elaborate reyiow Of that work, which
you'll bo published III Boston along With tho
biography OF lus father, written by Dir. Young,
who scni me copy Of it. I!,ousll lughiy SOU
siblo Of tle honor, l declined 10 undertake SO
formidable work. fealiug that should not DO
Justice to the memory Of 10 great a mum.
have always bcon III communication with
Bono Of the most atdstnguiahed mon Of the United
States. Washington Irving frequently ca1no to
SEQ mo sshen ho was In London; lie waH ~ asrce-
abla III conversation as ho WAS distinguished as
I'll author. No ono could be moro amiaIlo than
ADMIRAL WilkoH, of tlo United atates Navy lo
lnu all the IrankneBB OF sailor, Wo Saw good
deal ii him when 10 was in Lol1don, and lad
lung lclter from him. giving mo an account Of
hiH llect, lis plan OF circnmnayisation. never
had tho good fortune to hocomo roGsunatly ac-
quauted with Capt. Maury, OF tic United
States Navy, author OF thu fascinating book,
tile "ph.sical Geography OF the Sea-" bnt I anl
aud Of his valuable charts. hlr. Dana. wao is
MI honor to Ills country, sont mo copies OF his
works., to which llayo had occasion froquon:ly
branches uf nat1l'al history. I SHOULD ba uu-
grateful ii did not acknowledge tho kindnoss
received from thu Sillman family, who informed
mo Of any scientific discovery In tho Urited
it contained anything wlich might interest mo.
| was elected MI honorary membor of the Geo.
graphical and Statistical Society OF Now York;
u. s., OIL tho 18th Of May, 1857, and on the 10th
of October. 1869. vas elected 1nnmbos Of tho
American tl!losohicai Society, at Philadelphia.
for Iionioting Usefn1 Knowledge 1hall over
be grateful for these hoaora.
While living in florence, many yosrH after,
an American friend invited me to MI evening,
| marty to neet pn American authoress, who
accordingly went there on tue evening In
question, mud MY friends. after receiving mo
with thcir accustomed cordia!ity, p. osouted mo
to tho lady and placed mo benilo llor to give mo
au opportunity OF conversinG wltll her. I all
dressed her several tiinoA aud n,sdo various At
telnpls to enter into conversation, but only re-
coisrd worry dry answers In reply. At last she
| fairly turned ler bnck upon me- and became ELL
upon which got up and loft hor and never
saw her again. A very different person In every
respect was present that evoning, as much dis
tingnisl,ed Ly her high menta! qualities aud
poeiicRl genuu NJ by her modcA,y and simplicity.
allude to our greatoat nrittsh .poctesa, Mrs.
Browning, who at lint time resided in Flornnco,
except when tho dolieacy Of lIor health Obliged
lor to 80 to ltomo. thnll there III Ito other
| instance Of husband aud vito both poets. nnl
Lot4 distinguished in tlcir different noB. can
llllhGa1iu Nv AAl'l!A.A VI A''St1 t"b NV
| than t,cirs-two kindred Hpirits united ii tic
| Hisl1ost and uoblest aspirations. Unfortunately
llcr litc vas n short one. In tho full bloom oil
her luiolect hor frall health gave ray. and sht
| died. lowing noble roould OF gctius to futurc
| agoB aud 4 sweet memory 10 those who were
lser contemporaries. The Flofenth,eB, VINO, like
all 1taliana greatly appreciate genlus, whether
nutive or foreign, l,axe placUtl commemorative
tablet OIL Casa Gusdl, the l,ouao Mrs. Browning
! inhabited.
| was extremoy delighted, last spring. In be.
| Ing lonorod BY \ visit from LonBteitow, thai
nl0st genial poet. 1t iH not alHays Tho caao tla'
tho general appearance al distinguished nerSoE
a,lsSerH to olius itloa Of what ho ought to he
in this respect l.o,lgfolow far anrlassoB eSFecta
| tion. waH as much charmed with Ills wlnnine
manner al.t conversation as by hia calm. gram.
features aud the expression Vi lila intellectual
| conntenhnco. $500.
lilo DAtons Fairfax, az mentioned already,
had !onS boau moashera Of tile llaluLlia Ut tho
Uuitad Btstea, aud Waal,ington'a mother ls-
longed 10 This family. During tho war Of 1ndo
Eolilonce, while NV fAtlior, t4on Liout Fairfax
| WnH OIL boalfl q lnAn-of.wRr Oh tho AMorca1
ataiion, he received . letter from done1n
Washington, claiming him asa ss!at!on, and
inviting him to my him Wilt, nayinl
lo did not thiIik that war Should III
terfere With the cour.esios Of private lIlo
Party spirit ran 10 llgh at TINT time tin
NY {Athor wAs re{rs,nanaed for being 1t
correspondence with tbs snemy, meuloue.