Page:Memoir and correspondence of Caroline Herschel (1876).djvu/183

Rh , Dec. 18, 1822. 2em At last I am enabled to inform you of the safe arrival of my boxes and trunks, which only came the day before yesterday, and then I was obliged to wait till the keys were sent by to-day's post, but I have the satisfaction to find that every article is exactly as I had packed them with my own hands. For the last three weeks, I was despairing of ever seeing them again, for the vessel had been no less than three weeks at sea, and then had been obliged to unload six German miles beyond Bremen for want of water in the Weser. The country is in general much distressed for want of water; our large rivers may be passed on foot, &c. But of these things you are perhaps informed by the newspapers, and of many other circumstances; such as the mice eating the corn as soon as sowed, so that sowing it three times over was without effect, till the mice were destroyed by a pest coming among them.

I would give anything if I at this moment could see with my own eyes how you and my dear nephew are; tell him that on the day after Christmas (Dec. 26th) the messenger will leave Hanover, and will take the book for Mr. Babbage, and one in two volumes for my nephew; also two or three letters of his father's which I have found among some papers of my brother Alex.

I know not if I mentioned it in my last that I selected all his last receipts when he left England, and shall keep them yet a little longer.

As yet I lead but a dull sort of life; the town is much too gay for me plays, concerts, card parties, walking, &c. I cannot take part in any; my cold in my head is still very bad, and my poor brother is frequently unwell, and for want