Feb. 19th.—My nephew mending, but my brother not well.
Feb. 26th.—My brother so ill that I was not allowed to see him, and till March 8 his life was despaired of, and by
Mar. 10th.—I was permitted to see him, but only for two or three minutes, for he is not allowed to speak.
Mar. 22nd.—He went for the first time into his library, but could only remain for a few moments.
April 7th.—I went to stay at Slough, my brother going by short stages to Bath, Mrs. H., my nephew, and Miss Baldwin with him.
May 9th.—My brother returned, nearly recovered, but with a violent cold and cough caught on the journey.
May 24th.—I went to Slough to be with my brother till the 31st. In fine nights observing; working in the daytime, and writing a paper on comets, filled up the time, though neither my brother nor myself were well.
June 7th.—"Was the Montem, of course much company.
June 13th.—I dined at the Castle to meet Lady and Miss Banks, Mr. De Luc,[1] &c. *****
July 1st.—Alexander arrived at Slough. Mem. We received very distressing accounts from our brother at Hanover.
July 21st till 26th.—My brother was absent, and I was daily at work in the library.
Sept. 5th.—Alexander returned to Bath, leaving his brother far from well. The laborious exertions required for the polishing of the forty-foot mirror, besides the overlooking and directing the workmen out of doors, who were at work on the repairs of the apparatus, during the month of August, had again proved too much for him.
- ↑ De Luc was a geologist of high reputation; an ardent opponent of Huttonian views.
