fication of the electric light; and that series of discoveries by
scientific men abroad, but chiefly by our own philosophers at home,
which had been in progress for a course of years, prepared the way for
Bunsen and Kirchhof's marvellous consummation.

Such was the field opened to me; but instead of being discouraged by its
magnitude, I seemed to have resumed the perseverance and energy of my
youth, and began to write with courage, though I did not think I should
live to finish even the sketch I had made, and which I intended to
publish under the name of "Molecular and Microscopic Science," and
assumed as my motto, "Deus magnus in magnis, maximus in minimis," from
Saint Augustin.

My manuscript notes on Science were now of the greatest use; and we went
for the winter to Turin (1861-1862), where I could get books from the
public libraries, and much information on subjects of natural history
from Professor De Filippi, who has recently died, much regretted, while
on a scientific mission to Japan and China, as well as from other
sources. I subscribed to various periodicals on chemical and other
branches of science; the transactions of several of our societies were
sent to me, and I began to write. I was now an old woman, very deaf and
with shaking hands; but I could still see to thread the finest needle,
and read the finest print, but I got sooner tired when writing than I
used to do. I wrote regularly every morning from eight till twelve or
one o'clock before rising. I was not alone, for I had a mountain
sparrow, a great pet, which sat, and indeed is sitting on my arm as I
write these lines.

The Marchese Doria has a large property at Spezia, and my dear friend
Teresa Doria generally spent the evening with us, when she and I chatted
and played Bezique together. Her sons also came frequently, and some of
the officers of the Italian navy. One who became our very good friend is
Captain William Acton, now Admiral, and for two years Minister of
Marine; he is very handsome, and, what is better, a most agreeable,
accomplished gentleman, who has interested himself in many branches of
natural history, besides being a good linguist. In summer the British
squadron, commanded by Admiral Smart, came for five weeks to Spezia. My
nephew, Henry Fairfax, was commander on board the ironclad "Resistance."
Notwithstanding my age, I was so curious to see an ironclad that I went
all over the "Resistance," even to the engine-room and screw-all