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 some extra large trout caught by the Miller, together with the 'local' trout so that he can compare them.
Regarding the strange appearance of the comet of Biela. Will observe the double star as soon as he has an opportunity.
Regarding a botanical garden at the Cape and suitable staff. Would like to join with JH in a memorial to the Colonial Office.
Has heard nothing from him regarding the Cape garden. Wrote to the Colonial Office advising that the Cape garden should be similar to that at Ceylon. Hopes he agrees that Wynberg is the most likely spot.
RH's experiments are extremely interesting and deserve to be pursued. Comments on experiments made by Michael Faraday and others relating to the formation of crystals in a magnetic field and the effect such crystals have on polarized light.
Comments on proofs of WW's German translations. JH recommends that the magnetic observations already made should be reduced to show some results, rather than adding more observations.
Observatory work slowed since William Mann's absence due to head injury. C. P. Smyth's replacement not yet arrived. Regrets lack of assistants; wants to complete triangulation at Bushman Flat.
A notice of meeting of the B.A.A.S. coal distribution map committee.
Circular Magnetic results. Observations of solar spots. Determining Longitude.
W. S. Stratford, G. B. Airy, and JH agree that B.A.A.S. should publish star catalogs of N. L. Lacaille and J. J. L. Lalande without using government money. Proposes distribution to observatories. [JH annotation: Committee added two more observatories to list.]
Hopes Sir R. H. Inglis explained JH's delay in answering. Missionaries have obligation to preserve unwritten languages. Suggests 'Phonotypic' system of [Isaac] Pitman, with some alterations.
Reminds JH of new format in Nautical Almanac to represent symbols of late F. W. Bessel. Thomas Henderson was working with unknown quantity [in preparing N. L. Lacaille's star catalog].
Asks for some specifics of the mounting and proceeds to explain how the mountings will work [see JH's 1845-11-25].
Asks JH to prepare an eloge of F. W. Bessel.
Explains to JH the R.A.S. Council's intent in asking JH to be Foreign Secretary, and the arrangements that have been made when JH declined.
Sends paper on storms. JH's advocacy of jointly progressive and rotary character of storms has been supported by new evidence.
Has the opinion regarding Oxford of S. J. A. Compton (Lord Northampton). This will make his absence less consequential if he cannot attend the Council meeting.
Council will meet Friday 16 January. Does not think [Roderick] Murchison has returned. [Alexander von Humboldt's] Cosmos was reviewed well.
Describes mistakes made by R.S.L. in sending letters to [Christopher] Hansteen through Stockholm.
Will call at Collingwood. Wants to show JH some experiments and asks JH to have phosphorous and starch ready.