| Description | Birt apologises to Lady Sabine for the intrusion of her letter at a time when Lady Sabine is presumably preoccupied with the health of Edward Sabine. Birt hopes Edward Sabine is making a rapid recovery as mentioned in various accounts. Birt describes the declining health of her father, William Radcliffe Birt, due to which he is unable to tend to any observatory matters. A medical attendant gave the opinion that William Birt is suffering from a mental attack rather than physical. The medical attendant suggested that William Birt should be doing the medial work, and should not take part in the arrangement or position of the instruments. Birt asks Lady Sabine not to bother Colonel [Edward Sabine] with this, but thought it best to make her aware of the situation there. |