ius was an excellent musician. Unfortunately, his
sister, Miss Caroline Herschel, who shared in the talents of the family,
was abroad, but his son, afterwards Sir John, my dear friend for many
years, was at home, quite a youth. It would be difficult to name a
branch of the physical sciences which he has not enriched by important
discoveries. He has ever been a dear and valued friend to me, whose
advice and criticism I gratefully acknowledge.

* * * * *

I took lessons twice a week from Mr. Glover, who painted landscapes very
prettily, and I liked him on account of his kindness to animals,
especially birds, which he tamed so that they flew before him when he
walked, or else sat on the trees, and returned to him when he whistled.
I regret now that I ever resumed my habit of painting in oil;
water-colours are much better suited to an amateur, but as I had never
seen any that were good, I was not aware of their beauty.

I also took lessons in mineralogy from Mrs. Lowry, a Jewess, the wife of
an eminent line engraver, who had a large collection of minerals, and in
the evening Somerville and I amused ourselves with our own, which were
not numerous.

Our house in Hanover Square was within a walking distance of many of our
friends, and of the Royal Institution in Albemarle Street, where I
attended the lectures, and Somerville frequently went with me. The
discoveries of Sir Humphry Davy made this a memorable epoch in the
annals of chemical science. At this time there was much talk about the
celebrated Count Rumford's steam kitchen, by which food was to be cooked
at a very small expense of fuel. It was adopted by several people, and
among others by Naldi, the opera singer, who invited some friends to
dine the first day it was to be used. Before dinner they all went to see
the new invention, but while Naldi was explaining its structure,
it exploded and killed him on the spot. By this sad accident his
daughter, a pretty girl and a good singer, was left destitute. A
numerously-attended concert was given for her benefit, at which
Somerville and I were present. She was soon after engaged to sing in
Paris, but ultimately married the Comte de Sparre, a French gentleman,
and left the stage.

When MM. Arago and Biot came to England to continue the French arc of
the meridian through Great Britain, they were warmly received by the
scientific men in London, and we were always invited to meet them by
those whom we