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.
When he last saw James Ivory at the British Museum, no mention was made of JH's name. Thinks the remarks of Ivory are caused by mental disease.
Has been overwhelmed with work, which accounts for the delay in writing. Thanks for communications. Both are now printed. Comments on some of the points raised.
Thanks for comments on JL's papers [see JH's 1828-7-24]; Charles Babbage had visited JL.
Confusion around [James] Grahame's possible use of the verses that JH had offered to MK as suitable for the music Cherry Ripe.
Arrived here yesterday with the Murchisons and starts tomorrow for the Vicentini. Would welcome JH's advice on what to see and read when in Sicily.
Is just about to publish the 20th number of the Mathematical Repository in which he would like to include a short biography of William Herschel. Can JH supply him with an account of his father, and also inform him if a portrait of Sir William has been published?
JH very upset at the government abolishing the Board of Longitude; has many questions as to what will happen now.
Describes the tests JH made on a small glass prism of not very high quality, which JH has left at the Royal Institution.
Sends MF some older samples of imperfect glass. Talks about the way in which different kinds of glass should be layered in lenses.
EM has just missed being awarded a Royal Medal; it was given to W. H. Wollaston. Thinks it advisable for EM to draw up a brief resume of his own scientific discoveries.
Sorry they will not have a sight of the Herschels before they depart. Has arranged for the camera to be delivered to Kensington. The Murchisons are off to Dover tomorrow.
Has had some difficulty accepting JG's arguments about logarithms in a paper JG sent to JH.
Believes it was not our Captain Foster to whom the advertisement alluded. Singular way in which Mr. Barrowcliff discharges his trust.
About the election of Charles Babbage to the Lucasian professorship.
Is sending copies of a memoir on the triangulation of Savoy, prepared by GP and [Mr. ?] Carlini. Is including copies for other scientists and organizations.
Is sending the letter with the British ambassador [Augustus Foster] to the Court of Turin; Foster is much interested in science and in meeting JH. GP will be sending additional work that GP has done, and indicates further plans.
Sends a note with a letter from W. H. Wollaston to JH, dealing with glass making experiments.
Health of JH's mother. Recommends History of George Godfrey. Asks if Waterloo, recently lost, was ship that 'C. White sailed in.' Gift for Wesleys. Letter from JH's aunt. Declining many invitations in order to continue star observations. Remembrances to the Grahames.
Needs more money to continue with Charles Babbage's calculating machine.
Needs more money to proceed with Charles Babbage's calculating machine.