Her interest in astronomical pursuits never slackened, and she watched with eagerness the labours and successes of her nephew.  The respect paid to her in society as a “woman of science” was not unwelcome, though she affected to make light of it.  “You must give me leave,” she wrote to Sir John, “to send you any publications you can think of, without mentioning anything about paying for them.  For it is necessary I should every now and then lay out a little of my spare cash in that, for the sake of supporting the reputation of being a learned lady; (there is for you!) for I am not only looked at for such a one, but even stared at here in Hanover!” It was with unaffected modesty she deprecated the honorary membership of the Irish Academy, conferred on one who, she said, had not for many years discovered even a comet; yet she was by no means insensible to the distinction.  Every man of scientific eminence who visited Hanover visited this aged lady; and her presence in the theatre, even in her latest years, was a constant source of attraction.  Such was the simple frugality of her habits, that she experienced an actual difficulty in disposing of her income.  She affirmed that the largest sum she could spend upon herself was L50 a year; and the annual pension of L100, left by her brother, she refused, or else devoted the quarterly or half-yearly payment to the purchase of some handsome present for her nephew or niece.

Such was Caroline Lucretia Herschel; and as such she was a remarkable proof that the rarest womanly gifts of affectionate forethought and loving devotion may exist in combination with intellectual strength and scientific enthusiasm.

Of the force, keenness, and permanency of her sisterly love, an illustration of a pathetic character occurs in a letter which she addressed to her nephew, February 27, 1823:—­

“I am grown much thinner than I was six months ago:  when I look at my hands, they put me so in mind of what your dear father’s were, when I saw them tremble under my eyes, as we latterly played at backgammon together.”

It has long been the reproach of England that she treats, or rather that her Government treats, her men of science, her artists, and her litterateurs with a disgraceful parsimony.  It would appear from the following letter that Sir William Herschel was inadequately rewarded, and that his sister felt this keenly:—­

“There can be no harm,” she says, “in telling my own dear nephew that I never felt satisfied with the support your father received towards his undertakings, and far less with the ungracious manner in which it was granted.  For the last sum came with a message that more must never be asked for. (Oh! how degraded I felt, even for myself, whenever I thought of it!) And after all it came too late, and was not sufficient; for if expenses had been out of question, there would not have been so much time, and labour, and expense, for twenty-four men were at times