Dr Muehry in Hanover writes to Sir John Herschel.

In the beginning of last (1992) July a Herschel descendant John and Esther Herschel-Shorland, Diss, Norfolk, UK, wrote to us that "We are enjoyng the English summer. The roses are paricularly beautiful, and are enjoying picking our own strawberries." They enclosed a copy of a letter dated 1843, just 150 years ago, to tell the state of Caroline Herschel. The letter was written by Dr Muehry in Hanover, who visited Caroline Herschel on her 93rd birthday and was addressed to Sir and Lady Herschel in Slough. Mr and Mrs Herschel-Shorland kindly allowed us to publish the letter in our Newsletter and the following is a part of it.

I have just come from Miss Herschel, whose birthday has been celebrated today. It was a glorious day for her and all her friends. I found the old lady very gay and quite well, surrounded by flowers and other presents. Your letters and your childrens' letters were laying before her and she joyfully showed them to me. She had already had many visits. Shortly before my arrival the carriage of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince went away, who had come with his young wife to congratulate Miss Herschel on her 93rd birthday. They stayed more than half an hour and left a great nosegay of the finest flowers out of Herrnhaussen, and wrote their names in Miss Herschel's address book. All this had put in the newspapers. I had already promised Miss Herschel since several years to assist her in case of a sickness, and I have since been her doctor and have been so much interested in her state of health that I know everything about it. Until now she had not needed any true medicine.

Except the infirmity of old age she has not any sickness, and was never obliged to keep her bed. Her powerful spirit, constant occupation not quite so constant as formerly, a lively interest for every scientific work, her joy at the happiness and the love of your family, the kind attentions of so many friends, a very simple manner of living keep her up, so that we hope she will be able to live several years longer. I very often visit her as she never leaves her house. Mrs Beckdorf, Miss Herschel's oldest friend suffers a little of old age, in her 87 1/2 year. Miss Herschel showed me the newspaper, containing the account of the Explosion at Dover, which I read with great interest.

Quoted from the Newsletter No 58 issued by the Herschel Society of Japan