The Sir John Herschel Collection
The preparation of the print Calendar of the Correspondence of Sir John Herschel (Michael J. Crowe ed., David R. Dyck and James J. Kevin assoc. eds, Cambridge, England: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1998, viii + 828 pp) which was funded by the National Science Foundation, took ten years. It was accomplished by a team of seventeen professors, visiting scholars, graduate students, advanced undergraduates, and staff working at the University of Notre Dame.
The first online version of Calendar was created in 2009 by Dr Marvin Bolt and Steven Lucy, working at the Webster Institute of the Adler Planetarium, and it is that data that has now been reformatted for incorporation into Ɛpsilon.
Further information about Herschel, his correspondence, and the editorial method is available online here: http://historydb.adlerplanetarium.org/herschel/?p=intro
No texts of Herschel’s letters are currently available through Ɛpsilon.
R. I. Murchison has forwarded JH's letter about the noises at Nakkus in Sinai. Has heard the noises several times and thinks they are caused by the movement of sand. There is much static electricity in sand.
Details about sunspot observations.
Much obliged for his kind notes on sunspots; there has been a wonderful variety lately. Will make a study of the Julian dates. Can see the Crystal Palace fireworks splendidly from his house.
A note to accompany JH's biographical sketch of William Dawes.
Is preparing a sketch of Sir John Lubbock for a weekly, and would be glad of JH's opinion regarding Lubbock as a man of science and his advanced political views.
Answer has been delayed as SL's letter was directed to MacMillans. Can be no two opinions on the contribution to scientific knowledge of Sir John Lubbock. Has full confidence in his political opinions.
Comments on the quality of some of the double star observations in print.
Congratulations on success in observing solar spectrum and corona. JH's views on sun's corona [with diagram]. Agrees that communications in India are abominable.
Subscriptions for Sinai survey fund are nearly complete. Survey party will embark for Alexandria aboard Ripon on 24 Oct. Will send account books to JH and R. I. Murchison. Will not need JH's astronomical instrument.
Gratitude for JH's generous testimonial on RM's behalf.
Discusses Lord [Henry ] Brougham and his optical papers. Thanks ES for kind remarks regarding JH's son [John?]. Discusses polarization of corona.
Reviews additional work of H. P. Brougham [see JH's 1868-10-1] as has been requested in preparation for an eloge . JH is critical of poorly described and poorly understood work, unrelentingly tied to Isaac Newton's corpuscular ideas.
Discusses [William] Sharpey's view of JH's opinion of [Henry] Brougham's optical writings. Asks for JH's advice on presenting meteorological observations. On observations of an eclipse.
Discusses papers concerning light on [William] Sharpey's list. Discusses, very critically, Henry Brougham's optical researches.
Thanks JH for information regarding Henry Brougham [see ES's 1868-9-29 & 1868-10-8]. Also for comment on polarization of aurora. Encloses Captain [John?] Hay's letter, but not plate.
Some photographs support the sudden disappearance of the spot on 17 Sept. Some photographs are misdated. The relation of Jupiter and sunspots suggests previously unknown interconnections in the solar system.
Sent JH's remarks to Mr. Titterton at Ely. Will endeavor to maintain accuracy. The remarks about Jupiter's action are contrary to the general consensus that planets in opposition close up spots.
Thanks for proofed pages. Received Astronomische Beobachtungen auf der Sternwarte zu Bonn. Finished determining by electric means the different observational longitudes of Leiden and Brussels.
Hopes that JH will contribute series of papers under heading, 'A Life's Retrospect in Science,' from various periods of JH's career, for publication in Good Words.
Thanks JH for his pamphlet on musical scales.