Maria Mitchell In Her Own Words

Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • November 18, 2024

November 26 {1857} A few days ago, I received a card “Mrs. Baden Powell at Home Nov. 25th.” Of course I did not know if it was a teaparty, a wedding, or a soiree, so I appealed to Mrs. Airy.  She said “it’s a London rout, I never went to one, but you’ll find a crowd, and a good many interesting people.”


I took a cab, and went at nine o’clock. The servant who opened the door passed me to another who showed me the cloak-room. The girl who took my shawl numbered it . . . Then she pointed to the other end of the room, and there I saw a table of tea and coffee . . . and then the servant asked my name, yelled (shrieked) it up the stairs to another, and he announced it . . . People kept coming until the room was quite full . . . {Dr. Toynbee} told me that a fine looking . . . old man was Roget, of the ‘Thesaurus;’ and another old man in the corner was Dr. {Neil} Arnott, of the “Elements of Physics” . . .  Afterwards I was introduced to him . . . {He} asked me if I wore as many stockings when I was observing as the Herschels – he said Sir William put on twelve pairs and Caroline fourteen!


At this “rout,” Maria Mitchell met many famous scientists and mathematicians, among others. Routs were informal, crowded London parties or social gatherings hosted by the upper class of England – and the more crowded the better! There could be just conversations – think of a present day cocktail party – or games and music. Mrs. Powell was the same woman who had been at the dinner party hosted by the Airys just a month before this journal entry of Maria’s and which I blogged about last month. 


I find the above exchange that Maria had at the rout to be incredibly humorous especially coming from a physician and inventor who created all sorts of improvements for ventilation and heating – and won awards for them! Obviously, keeping warm was always on his mind.  But how wonderful to have this little tidbit about Sir William Herschel and his sister, Caroline, both astronomers.  Maria would meet Sir William’s son, John, on her trip to Europe and carry on a lifelong friendship with he and his family – something I have noted before.  I love the fact that I now know how many socks Caroline Herschel put on for observing when it was cold!


JNLF

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