ring stars. I counted its distance from the known nebula several
times, but the whole affair was difficult, for there were flying clouds,
and sometimes the nebula and comet were too indistinct to be definitely
seen.

"The 19th was cloudy and the 20th the same, with the variety of
occasional breaks, through which I saw the nebula, but not the comet.

"On the 21st came a circular, and behold Mr. Van Arsdale had seen it on
the 13th, but had not been sure of it until the 15th, on account of the
clouds.

"I was too well pleased with having really made the discovery to care
because I was not first.

"Let the Dutchman have the reward of his sturdier frame and steadier
nerves!

"Especially could I be a Christian because the 13th was cloudy, and more
especially because I dreaded the responsibility of making the
computations, _nolens volens_, which I must have done to be able to call
it mine....

"I made observations for three hours last night, and am almost ill
to-day from fatigue; still I have worked all day, trying to reduce the
places, and mean to work hard again to-night.

"Sept. 25, 1854. I began to recompute for the comet, with observations
of Cambridge and Washington, to-day. I have had a fit of despondency in
consequence of being obliged to renounce my own observations as too
rough for use. The best that can be said of my life so far is that it
has been industrious, and the best that can be said of me is that I have
not pretended to what I was not.

"October 10. As soon as I had run through the computations roughly for
the comet, so as to make up my mind that by my own observations (which
were very wrong) the Perihelion was passed, and nothing more to be hoped
for from observations, I seized upon a pleasant day and went to the Cape
for an excursion. We went to Yarmouth, Sandwich, and Plymouth, enjoying
the novelty of the new car-route. It really seemed like railway
travelling on our own island, so much sand and so flat a country.

"The little towns, too, seemed quaint and odd, and the old gray cottages
looked as if they belonged to the last century, and were waked from a
long nap by the railway whistle.

"I thought Sandwich a beautiful, and Plymouth an interesting, town. I
would fain have gone off into some poetical quotation, such as 'The
breaking waves dashed high' or 'The Pilgrim fathers, where are they?'
but K., who had been there before, desired me not to be absurd, but to
step quietly on to the half-bu