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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.
Hopes JH will stay for Sunday dinner at TY's before JH visits Dr. Litten. If so, please invite T. M. Brisbane and Francis Baily to join them. Writes formula TY discovered for discontinuous spectra. TY can now communicate with H. W. M. Olbers and T. J. Seebeck via H. C. Schumacher.
Abandons TY's argument on Mr. Roberts's object glass. Asks JH's help in understanding A. J. Fresnel's calculations of diffraction and Josef Fraunhofer's discontinuous functions.
Sudden demolition of Board of Longitude. TY is left as superintendent [of Nautical Almanac]. Notes quality of J. F. Encke's almanac for 1830. Should English compete with German astronomers, or discontinue almanac supplements? TY's paper on 'Astronomical Chronology' in W. T. Brande's [Quarterly Journal of Science and Art] illustrates JH's equatorial time.
Will not hold JH responsible for accuracy of William Richardson's computations. No instructions yet from Admiralty about Nautical Almanac, which goes to press soon. TY will insert JH's equinoctial time. Notes two works by A. F. C. Kollman on harmony and [Beck] on 'thorough-bass.'
Feels responsible for JH refusing to accept Navy's £25 reimbursement. Used JH's [equinoctial] time [in Nautical Almanac supplement], but with different notation. Disagrees that England's scientific reputation depends upon its government. William Richardson is justified in continuing work of late Board of Longitude. Reports meeting in Paris with Jacques Babinet and François Arago.
JH's determination of length of equinoctial year will remain for long time. Mrs. Young is delighted to hear of JH's new discovery.
Invites JH to join TY to meet Thomas Henderson at [Davies] Gilbert's party Saturday. T. F. Colby accepted payment from Board of Longitude up to Christmas; Henry Kater would not accept payment beyond dissolution of Board. TY believes JH should accept payment at least from March to June.
Problems calculating sun's mean longitude due to movement of perigee. Questions S. D. Poisson's value for sidereal year.
Gives diagram and explanation of TY's reduced parallax. JH's formula is elaborate but complicated. TY's formula is less exact but easier for public to use. Welcomes criticism.
Sends papers for R.A.S. and A. J. Fresnel's papers. Modifies analogy of infinite pipes to clarify TY's hypothesis of three principal colors. Charles Babbage sent survey of Mont Cenis. Can JH find its barometrical observations?
Measurement of moon's diameter and distance. Expects JH will soon have 'official authority over me' and [Nautical Almanac]. Astronomers probably regulate sidereal clock by variable equinox because they cannot find a fixed one. Errors in JH's equinoctial time.
Errors in equinoctial time calculated by John Pond. Suggests limiting decimal places in value of equinoctial time to reflect this uncertainty. Making error uniform will make it awkward to alter future almanacs.
JH is correct, and TY's 'little man is wrong.' Moon's apparent angular motion increases as spectator moves closer.
Resolved puzzle about sidereal year, which needs better definition. Error between true and nominal positions prevents TY adopting 'equinoctial time' for chronology investigations.
Board of Longitude would approve providing Lieutenant Forbes with apparatus JH suggested. Inappropriate for any member to address Admiralty separately. Payment of expenses to committee members.
J. J. Littrow's paper in F. X. von Zach's April [Correspondence astronomique, géologique, hydrographique et statistique] is only 'a new hash' of [F. W.] Bessel and no improvement.
Send plan of furnace to TY or Michael Faraday before tomorrow's committee meeting.