Letter from John Herschel, [station] XXXIV, to 'Dear' [Mary Cornwallis Herschel] He encloses a copy of a letter he has just written which took some time to compose. 'Though the man is almost a stranger the words are those of one who knows he may have a fate in store for himself too'. The English mail has arrived and he has read Bella's letter [Isabella Herschel] and Mary's of 5 February. He will reply to the substance another day. 13 March 1872