se that it
matters little. I do not think I have anything to add to my new
edition. If you hear of anything of moment let me know. Perhaps
something may have transpired at the British Association....

Your affectionate mother,
MARY SOMERVILLE.

* * * * *

MRS. SOMERVILLE TO W. GREIG, ESQ.

ROME, _May 28th, 1845_.

MY DEAR WORONZOW,

I don't know why I have so long delayed writing to you. I rather
think it is because we have been living so quiet a life, one day so
precisely similar to the preceding, that there has been nothing
worth writing about. This is our first really summer-like day, and
splendid it is; but we are sitting in a kind of twilight. The only
means of keeping the rooms cool is by keeping the house dark and
shutting out the external air, and then in the evening we have a
delightful walk; the country is splendid, the Campagna one sheet of
deep verdure and flowers of every kind in abundance. We generally
have six or seven large nosegays in the room; we have only to go to
some of the neighbouring villas and gather them. Most of the English
are gone; people make a great mistake in not remaining during the
hot weather, this is the time for enjoyment. We are busy all the
morning, and in the afternoon we take our book or drawing materials
and sit on the grass in some of the lovely villas for hours; then we
come home to tea, and are glad to see anyone who will come in for an
hour or two. We have had a son of Mr. Babbage here. He is employed
in making the railway that is to go from Genoa to Milan, and he was
travelling with eight other Englishmen who came to make
arrangements for covering Italy with a network of these iron roads,
connecting all the great cities and also the two seas from Venice to
Milan and Genoa and from Ancona by Rome to Civita Vecchia. However
the Pope is opposed to the latter part, but they say the cardinals
and people wish it so much that he will at last consent.... Many
thanks for the _Vestiges_, &c. I think it a powerful production, and
was highly pleased with it, but I can easily see that it will offend
in some quarters; however it should be remembered that there has
been as much opposition to the true system of astronomy and to
geolog