while staying with her family in scotland, somerville became acquainted with several leading intellectual lights, such as henry brougham. in 1812 she married another cousin, dr william somerville (1771–1860), inspector of the army medical board, who encouraged and greatly aided her in the study of the physical sciences. her husband was elected to the royal society and together they moved in the leading social circles of the day. as well as scientists, she was well known to leading writers and artists, for example j.m.w. turner. her husband's family were neighbours of the writer walter scott. she wrote "i shall never forget the charm of this little society, especially the supper-parties at abbotsford, when scott was in the highest glee, telling amusing tales, ancient legends, ghost and witch stories." in her second marriage somerville had four children.