Chapter I: Front Matter

MARIA MITCHELL

LIFE, LETTERS, AND JOURNALS

Compiled By

PHEBE MITCHELL KENDALL

Illustrated

1896

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I

The parents--Home life--Education, teachers, books--Astronomical instruments--Solar eclipse of 1831--Teaching--Appointment as librarian of Nantucket Atheneum--Friendships for young people--Extracts from diary, 1855--Music--The piano--Society--Story-telling--Housework--Extract from diary, 1854

CHAPTER II

"Sweeping" the heavens--Discovery of the comet, 1847--Frederick VI. and the comet--Letters from G. P. Bond and Hon. Edward Everett--Admiral Smyth--American Academy--American Association for the Advancement of Science--Extract from diary, 1855--Dorothea Dix--Esther--Divers extracts from diary, 1853, 1854--Comet of 1854--Computations for comet--Visit to Cape Cod--Sandwich and Plymouth--Pilgrim Hall--Rev. James Freeman Clarke--Accidents in observing

CHAPTER III

Wires in the transit instrument--Deacon Greele--Smithsonian fund--"Doing"--Rachel in "Phèdre" and "Adrienne"--Emerson--The hard winter

CHAPTER IV

Southern tour--Chicago--St. Louis--Scientific Academy of St. Louis--Dr. Pope--Dr. Seyffarth--Mississippi river--Sand-bars--Cherry blossoms--Eclipse of sun--Natchez--New Orleans--Slave market--Negro church--The "peculiar institution"--Bible--Judge Smith--Travelling without escort--Savannah--Rice plantations--Negro children--Miss Murray--Charleston--Drive--Condition of slaves--Old buildings--Miss Rutledge--Mr. Capers--Class meeting--Hospitality--Mrs. Holbrook--Miss Pinckney--Manners--Portraits--Miss Pinckney's father--George Washington--Augusta--Nashville--Mrs. Fogg--Mrs. Polk--Charles Sumner--Mammoth cave--Chattanooga

CHAPTER V

First European tour--Liverpool--London--Rev. James Martineau--Mr. John Taylor--Mr. Lassell--Liverpool observatory--The Hawthornes--Shop-keepers and waiters--Greenwich observatory--Sir George Airy--Visits to Greenwich--Herr Struvé's mission to England--Dinner party--General Sabine--Westminster Abbey--Newton's monument--British museum--Four great men--St. Paul's--Dr. Johnson--Opera--Aylesbury--Admiral Smyth's family--Amateur astronomers--Hartwell house--Dr. Lee

CHAPTER VI

Cambridge--Dr. Whewell--Table conversation--Professor Challis--Professor Adams--Customs--Professor Sedgwick--Caste--King's Chapel--Fellows-- Ambleside--Coniston waters--The lakes--Miss Southey--Collingwood--Letter to her father--Herschels--London rout--Professor Stokes--Dr. Arnott--Edinboro'--Observatory--Glasgow observatory--Professor Nichol--Dungeon Ghyll--English language--English and Americans--Boys and beggars

CHAPTER VII

Adams and Leverrier--The discovery of the planet Neptune--Extract from papers--Professor Bond, of Cambridge, Mass.--Paris--Imperial observatory--Mons. and Mme. Leverrier--Reception at Leverrier's--Rooms in observatory--Rome--Impressions--Apartments in Rome and Paris--Customs--Holy week--Vespers at St. Peter's--Women--Frederika Bremer--Paul Akers--Harriet Hosmer--Collegio Romano--Father Secchi--Galileo--Visit to the Roman observatory--Permission from Cardinal Antonelli--Spectroscope

CHAPTER VIII

Mrs. Somerville--Berlin--Humboldt--Mrs. Mitchell's illness and death--Removal to Lynn, Mass.--Telescope presented to Miss Mitchell by Elizabeth Peabody and others--Letters from Admiral Smyth--Colors of stars--Extract from letter to a friend--San Marino medal--Other extracts

CHAPTER IX

Life at Vassar College--Anxious mammas--Faculty meetings--President Hill--Professor Peirce--Burlington, Ia., and solar eclipse--Classes at Vassar--Professor Mitchell and her pupils--Extracts from diary--Aids --Scholarships--Address to her students--Imagination in science--"I am but a woman"--Maria Mitchell endowment fund--Emperor of Brazil--President Raymond's death--Dome parties--Comet, 1881--The apple-tree--"Honor girls"--Mr. Matthew Arnold

CHAPTER X

Second visit to Europe--Russia--Extracts from diary and letters--Custom-house peculiarities--Russian railways--Domes--Russian thermometers and calendars--The drosky and drivers--Observatory at Pulkova--Herr Struvé--Scientific position of Russia--Language-- Religion--Democracy of the Church--Government--A Russian family--London, 1873--Frances Power Cobbe--Bookstores in London--Glasgow College for Girls

CHAPTER XI

Papers--Science--Eclipse of 1878, Denver, Colorado--Colors of stars

CHAPTER XII

Religious matters--President Taylor's remarks--Sermons--George MacDonald--Rev. Dr. Peabody--Dr. Lyman Abbott--Professor Henry--Meeting of the American Scientific Association at Saratoga--Professor Peirce-- Concord School of Philosophy--Emerson--Miss Peabody--Dr. Harris--Easter flowers--Whittier--Rich days--Cooking schools--Anecdotes

CHAPTER XIII

Letter-writing--Woman suffrage--Membership in various societies.--Women's Congress at Syracuse, N.Y.--Picnic at Medfield, Mass.--Degrees from different colleges--Published papers.--Failure in health--Resigns her position at Vassar College--Letters from various persons--Death--Conclusion