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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.
Many thanks for the beautiful specimen of Satyrium, which he has named in honor of Lady Herschel. Discusses various plants and the effect of climate. Is sorry to hear the Herschels are contemplating leaving the Cape.
Found ten species of orchids on Table Mountain yesterday. Gives details of some and discusses their distribution.
Returns the specimens with the names. Sends a magnificent specimen of Orobanche, which may be a new species. Comments on the scent of plants. Will be glad to hear the results of his experiments on the temperature of bulbs. Comments on changes due to removal. Sleep in plants.
Sending a copy of a little work on Cape botany for local circulation. Intends to attempt a larger Flora later. Starts on a three months' excursion next month. Sees that JH has arrived in England.
Sending some bulbs of Daubenya in which he believes JH was interested.
Must have received a long rambling letter written in February; hopes he will ignore it as he was suffering from a fever at the time. Returned on leave of absence for 12 months. Has introduced J. A. Wahlberg to Col. John Bell. P. H. Polemann died in April.
Since his arrival he has explored the suburbs and found some pretty parts. Thinks it would appeal to JH. Houses are rather expensive but could find one to his liking. Will inquire about the landing of his instruments.
Has secured a passage home for JH on the Windsor. Thinks he will be pleased with the accommodation. Will call on him shortly.
Pleased to hear he had a good voyage home and met with a great reception on his arrival. Sends some casks of sweet wine. Has paid the installment due on the shipping shares.
R. J. Jones will be ready to receive transfer on Friday next.
Not convenient for R. J. Jones to take transfer of the property until Friday week. Sends a parcel which has just arrived.
Sending results of the experiment on the lens of a large animal. Hopes he was not fatigued by the meeting.
Spent a pleasant time with G. B. Airy at Cambridge. The 'Melville' ship sails from Portsmouth on Thursday and he has been promised a passage to the Cape in it. Proposes to call on him tomorrow to discuss certain things.
Has taken some time to consider the climate at the Cape in response to JH's request. Gives details of the climate, suitability of site for observatory, and general conditions at the Cape. There is a reasonable library at Cape Town.
Has resolved to leave the Cape and soon after JH receives this letter he hopes to be in England. Will bring the barometer and the exterior thermometer. Saw Dr. Duncan Stewart yesterday.
Has written two letters from the Cape. Arrived three days ago. Will shortly proceed to Edinburgh. Has left the barometer on the ship. Compared this barometer with the one at St. Helena.
Proceeds to Edinburgh in the course of a few days and intends to compute the star declinations. Has some suggestions to offer before JH sails for the Cape. Would be glad to hear of the comparison of the barometer and thermometer. Left a [Thomas] Jones thermometer at the Cape.
Memorandum on the site of N. L. Lacaille's Observatory.
Is happy to hear of his safe arrival at the Cape and comfortably housed. Comments on two stars Alpha1 and Alpha2 Centauri.
Received his February letter and is pleased to hear that things are progressing. No one has seen Halley's Comet yet. His work on the reduction of the Cape observations is proceeding slowly. Had no idea he gave such a poor impression of the Cape climate. David Brewster and J. D. Forbes have not visited Edinburgh recently.