Sending diagrams of Halley's Comet traced from a work, The Orbs of Heaven.
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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.
Sending diagrams of Halley's Comet traced from a work, The Orbs of Heaven.
Introduces self to JH and describes CK's modified English alphabet, which is both phonetic and orthographical, and CK's 'philosophical universal alphabet' that would work for all languages. Criticizes phonotypy of Isaac Pitman and A. J. Ellis. Asks JH for loan of £8 with which CK can publish manuscripts. CK made similar appeals to C. K. J. Bunsen and C. E. Trevelyan.
Offers possible explanations to account for discrepancies between assays of WM and of Thomas Graham.
Will act according to JH's advice in future, but believes police at Mint gate were also at fault for not adhering to consistent policy of inspecting parcels carried out by servants and visitors.
[Marked 'Private.'] Suggests that JH delay request to include office of master of Mint under Superannuation Act until after government revises Act.
Doubts that examiner could live outside London and still fulfill duties.
Explain why JH wants to credit five years of previous service to F. R. Brande and Henry Finch at time of their promotions.
Note to accompany a second edition of work on vision.
Please send comments on the first draft of the Standards Commission report [see GA's 1853-12-22]; GA wants to prepare a second draft.
Doubts that proscribing certain weight usages will be effective, unless the users feel a need to change [see JH's 1854-2-14]
William Conybeare has asked AS to assist in the certification of George Wilson. Mentions William Whewell's book [Of the Plurality of Worlds: An Essay], but has been too ill to study it.
Invites JH to dine quietly with MS and the [11th] Duke of Somerset [E. A. Seymour], who is in 'delicate health.'
Explains and encloses paper on eyeless insects and their situation in caves.
Acknowledges receipt of JH's Cape Results for library of Mechanics Institution.
Appreciation of JH's son [John]. Admired JH's letter of 2 Feb. 1852 to Treasury, in which WF's most important recommendations [to 1848 committee for Mint reform] have been carried out. Dependence on steam for transportation has raised price of coal. Proposes two methods to replace coal: (a) use electrical conductivity of seawater in presence of dissimilar metals to propel ships, and (b) generate heat in 'Earth Batteries,' similar to dungheaps. Asks JH to approve request by John Gilbert, retired mechanical engineer at Calcutta mint, who wishes to visit Royal Mint, but was refused several years ago.