oks
so much like compliment, but I assure you it comes straight from the
heart, and you _must_ know that it is fully deserved.... I know not
whether you have heard of the death of Professor de la Rive (the
father); it was an unexpected blow, which has fallen heavily on all
his family. It is indeed a great loss to Geneva, both as a man of
science and a most excellent citizen.

M. Rossi[12] has left us to occupy the chair of political economy of
the late M. Say, at Paris; his absence is sadly felt, and it is in
vain to look around for any one capable of replacing him....

Yours affectionately,
J. MARCET.

* * * * *

FROM ADMIRAL W.H. SMYTH TO MRS. SOMERVILLE.

CRESCENT, BEDFORD, _October 3rd, 1835_.

MY DEAR MADAM,

As an opportunity offers of sending a note to town, I beg to mention
that I have somewhat impatiently waited for some appearance of
settled weather, in order to press your coming here to inspect
Halley's comet, before it should have become visible to the
unassisted eye. That unerring monitor, however, the barometer, held
forth no hope, and the ceaseless traveller is already an object of
conspicuous distinction without artificial aid, except, perhaps, to
most eyes an opera-glass, magnifying three or four times, will be
found a pleasant addition. It is now gliding along with wonderful
celerity, and the nucleus is very bright. It is accompanied with a
great luminosity, and the nucleus has changed its position therein;
that is, on the 29th August, the nucleus was like a minute star near
the centre of the nebulous envelope; on the 2nd September it
appeared in the _n. f._ quarter, and latterly it has been in the _s.
f._

How remarkable that the month of August this year should rattle
Halley's name throughout the globe, in identity with an astonishing
scientific triumph, and that in the selfsame month the letters of
Flamsteed should have appeared! How I wish some one would give us a
life of Newton, with all the interesting documents that exist of his
labours! Till such appears, Flamsteed's statements, though bearing
strong internal evidence of truth, are _ex-parte_, and it is evident
his anxiety made him prone to impute motives which he could not