y was at an end. He was far happier
in helping my mother in various ways, searching the libraries for
the books she required, indefatigably copying and recopying her
manuscripts, to save her time. No trouble seemed too great which he
bestowed upon her; it was a labour of love. My father was most
kindhearted, and I have often heard my mother say how many persons
he had assisted in life, and what generous actions he had done,
many of them requited with ingratitude, and with betrayal of
confidence. From the way my mother speaks of their life, it can be
seen how happy was their marriage and how much sympathy there was
between them. Speaking of his son's marriage with my mother, the
Rev. Dr. Somerville says, in his "Life and Times," page 390: "To
myself this connection was on every account peculiarly gratifying.
Miss Fairfax had been born and nursed in my house; her father being
at that time abroad on public service. She afterwards often resided
in my family, was occasionally my scholar, and was looked upon by me
and my wife as if she had been one of our own children. I can truly
say, that next to them she was the object of our most tender regard.
Her ardent thirst for knowledge, her assiduous application to study,
and her eminent proficiency in science and the fine arts, have
procured her a celebrity rarely obtained by any of her sex. But she
never displays any pretensions to superiority, while the affability
of her temper, and the gentleness of her manners afford constant
sources of gratification to her friends. But what, above all other
circumstances, rendered my son's choice acceptable to me, was that
it had been the anxious, though secret, desire of my dear wife." I
have already said that this esteem and affection of her
father-in-law was warmly responded to by my mother. The following
letter from her to him shows it vividly:--]

LETTER FROM MRS. SOMERVILLE TO THE REV. DR. SOMERVILLE.

EDINBURGH, _1st June, 1812_.

MY DEAR SIR,

I have this moment been gratified and delighted with your excellent
and affectionate letter; the intercourse we have so long enjoyed has
always been a source of the purest pleasure to me, and the kind
interest you have taken from my infancy in my welfare was at all
times highly flattering, and much valued; but now that the sacred
name of Father i