Comprises:

Folder MSI-1: letters received by Mary, 1832-1839 and n.d., from correspondents including [Sir] James Ivory, [mathematician], in appreciation of Mary’s work, [ The Mechanism of the Heavens], 3 Jan 1832, and in response to an enquiry from Mary about ‘the figure of the earth’, 9 Jan 1833. Other correspondents: Robert H. Ingles, Charles Irvine

Folder MSJ-1: Correspondents: Robert Jameson, F[rancis] Jeffrey, J. Gwyn Jeffreys, 1816-1869 and n.d.

Folder MSJ-2: letters received by Mary and others, 1831-1862, from correspondents including Alex[ander] Keith Johnston, [geographer], regarding the preparation of editions of Physical Geography, 28 Jun 1848 and 5 Feb 1862. Other correspondents: M.H. Jenkins, Wartan Josephus

Folder MSK-1: letters received by Mary and William Somerville, 1821-1834 and n.d., from Captain Henry Kater, [physicist], his wife, M[ary] F[rances], and [their son], Edward, including letters from Henry Kater regarding methods of astronomical observation and measurement, 16 Nov 1821, and in praise of Mary’s work, [ Preliminary Dissertation to The Mechanism of the Heavens], 23 Apr 1832

Folder MSK-2: Correspondents: Fanny Kemble, Adelaide Kemble, William B. Kinney, 1837-1854 and n.d.

Folder MSL-1: Correspondents: S.F. Lacroix, [Marquis de] Lafayette and other members of the Lafayette family, 1829-1834 and n.d.

Folder MSL-2: Correspondents: Marquis and Madame de Laplace, 1824-33. Includes a cutting from the Quarterly Review, n.d., relating to the opinion of Laplace on the mean depth of the sea.

Folder MSL-3: letters received by Mary and William Somerville, 1820-1839 and no year, from correspondents including William M. Leake, [antiquarian], in response to a question from Mary about hieroglyphed horoscopes, 19 Jun, no year. Other correspondents: [Dominique] Larrey, [Baron Larrey], William Lassell, Sir Thomas Lawrence, [Grand Duke] Leopold [of Tuscany]

Folder MSL-4: letters received by Mary and William Somerville, 1835-1857 and n.d., from correspondents including:

Folder MSL-5: letters received by Mary from J.W. Lubbock, [astronomer], 1832-1835 and n.d., described in a note by Mary as being ‘upon the Lunar Theory, the motion of comets, the motion and equilibrium of fluids etc.’

Folder MSL-6: letters received by Mary, her daughters, Martha and Mary, and Agnes Greig from [Sir] Charles Lyell, [geologist], Lady Lyell, and her niece, Susan Horner, 1831-1873, including letters from Charles Lyell to Mary referring to his research and her work [probably On the Connexion of the Physical Sciences], asking her permission to view the proofs then with [John] Murray, publishers, 23 Dec 1833, and offering corrections, 24 Feb 1834

Folder MSM-1: letters received by Mary, William and Thomas Somerville, 1822-1870 and n.d., from correspondents including:

Folder MSM-2: letters received by Mary, comprising

Folder MSM-3: letters received by Mary and Martha Somerville, 1835-1866 and n.d., from correspondents including:

Folder MSM-4: letters received by Mary and William Somerville, 1822-1869 and n.d, from correspondents including J[ohn] S[tuart] Mill, [philosopher], regarding Mary’s support of his work on the extension of the franchise to women and her response to receiving a copy of a publication by Mill, 1868-1869. Other correspondents: [Earl of] Minto, G. Moll

Folder MSM-5: letters received by Mary, 1826-1869 and n.d., from correspondents including:

Folder MSN-1: letters received by Mary and William Somerville and Woronzow Greig, 1831-1867 and n.d., from correspondents including Macvey Napier, [editor of the Edinburgh Review], regarding Mary’s publications and the writing of pieces relating to them for the Edinburgh Review, 1831-1846. Other correspondents: F.R. Nixon, Caroline Norton

Folder MSO-1: letters received by Mary and Martha Somerville from Richard Owen, [biologist], 1860-1873, indicating his opposition to ‘the gross abuse of vivisections’ in France, 30 Oct 1860; giving permission for the use by Mary of illustrations from his work, 12 Sep 1866; and acknowledging the gift of a copy of Mary’s autobiography sent to him by Martha Somerville, 6 Dec 1873

Folder MSP-1: letters received by Mary and William Somerville, 1821-1860 and n.d., from correspondents including William Parry, [explorer], inviting the Somervilles to visit his ship, 3 Apr 1821 [fragment only]; thanking Mary for a gift, described by her in a note as ‘orange marmalade for the Arctic voyage’, and sending her specimens from Melville Island and other places, n.d. [c.1821]. Other correspondents: Filippo Parlatore, George Peacock

Folder MSP-2: letters received by Mary and William Somerville, 1830-1836, from [Sir] Robert Peel, [Prime Minister], mainly regarding the grant to Mary of a pension of £200 per annum, 1835

Folder MSP-3: Correspondents: J.B. Pentland, [Thomas] Phillips, William Pitt, 1798-1857 and n.d.

Folder MSP-4: Correspondents: Jean Plana, Th[omas] Plateau, John Playfair, ? Plücker, 1832-1851 and n.d.

Folder MSP-5: letters received by Mary, 1832-1863 and n.d., from correspondents including: