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.
Had no time to write before he sailed [see FH's 1868-10-23, which is similar in content]; forward letters to the Ordnance Office, Southampton.
Sinai expedition did not complete its work. Would like to send out Messrs. E. H. Palmer and C. F. T. Drake again. Can they continue to use JH's name as a trustee?
Takes it that the expense of the Sinai Expedition so far carried out has been met from the funds. Sees no objections to a continuation of the expedition.
JH's translation of first canto of Dante's Inferno (1868) is best HH has ever seen. Thanks for JH's commendation of HH's own translations [?]. More observations of soap bubbles.
Received manuscript of JH's translation of third book of Iliad.
Received JH's translation of fourth book of Iliad. Will return it with comments in a few days. Attended two or three excellent lectures by JH's son. HH needs to balance mental efforts with more physical activity.
Will send copy of second edition of HH's Essays on Scientific...Subjects (1862). Received letter from HH's friend and former patient Louis Napoleon, who will send copy of Napoleon's book on Gallic campaigns of Caesar.
Hopes JH will accept enclosed little volume.
Found some old packets of seeds of Protea yesterday and wonders if he would like them to be sown to see if they would germinate. Comments on some of the plants in his garden. Tried some Peruvian potatoes.
Thanks for the additional subscription to the Rifle Corps. Regrets that he could not attend due to indisposition.
Has just returned from town and found JH's letter in Greenwood's volumes. Looks forward with pleasure to perusing the volumes.
Is obliged for letting him see Greenwood's letter about the book, but he did not himself write the review; it was written by an eminent scholar in that field.
Regrets to hear that he proposes to retire from the captaincy of the Hawkhurst Company of the Rifle Volunteers.
Has arranged for JH to receive a couple of plants of Fitzroya Patagonia. Hopes that the inclement weather has caused no distress.
Thanks for the gift of his poem; it has afforded him great pleasure. Is starting on a tour of South Wales and the West Country.
Hopes he can have JH's vote. Would like to add JH's name to his committee, which would not involve him in any work.
Many thanks. There is no name he prizes more than JH's.
Sees what a majority William Ewart's bill had yesterday. Comments on the events leading to this. So glad of the marriage of Amelia Herschel.
Sending a copy of his speech on Weights and Measures. Will be spending the recess in Dorset.
Has received the report on his paper on glaciers. Comments on one or two points. Hopes it will create interest in the subject.