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.
Was interested to read in JH's Familiar Lectures the chapter on sensorial vision; has been subject himself to the phenomenon described by JH. Queries one of the statements and would like verification from JH on this point.
Is indebted to JH for a number of scientific memoirs, including the General Catalogue of Nebulae and the tract on Physical Geography, both of which he highly esteems. Sends via the Smithsonian his own pamphlet on the Aurora Borealis.
Sends some queries regarding meteor showers.
Did not mean to say that meteors describe an exact circle round the sun. Comments on the phenomena of meteors.
Reports a second failure over the [Samuel] Parlby affair. Buried Ellen last Thursday. Unemployment and lack of food at Cape owing to the financial difficulties of the government. Difficulties over the standards now.
Sending a further section to be added to the Arc of Meridian. Comments on Nicolas Lacaille's work on the meridian. Has cherished memories of thirty years previous to this time of the year.
Sends proof sheet on the mathematics of representation. Intends to print in full JH's letter to Mrs. Drummond. Has not yet received information regarding the measuring bars as T. A. Larcom is busy.
Sends the last sheet of the Memoir that will be necessary for JH to see. Sheets on the measuring bars are held in abeyance.
Giving details of the meteors that fell recently.
Returns letter of George Bryandt. Dispute over auction of property belonging to MB's late brother [Thomas], of whose will JH is executor.
Needs time to consider GK's request. What connection is expected between [Clarendon] Press and each author, or among all authors in GK's proposed series?
Clarendon Press plans to publish series on logic. Invites JH to write treatise on inductive logic. Expect letters on this from John Phillips and Bartholomew Price.
Grateful that JH is considering [writing treatise on inductive logic]. Each book in series is independent of other authors. Conveyed JH's request to Bartholomew Price.
Supports G. W. Kitchin's request that JH write treatise on inductive logic for benefit of Oxford students.
Requests JH's views on inductive logic for a publication by Cambridge.
Appreciates the receipt of volume one of the tenth edition of CL's Principles of Geology.
Informs JH that his comments against sending a major telescope to India were decisive [see JH's 1866-8-11 & 1866-9-4]; biggest cost impediment was salary of observer.
In response to ES's 1866-12-6, JH sees no benefit in a great equatorial telescope in India being an itinerant instrument.
Discusses current debate over placement of telescope in India. Discusses various possibilities for telescope.
Thanks JH for his sympathy regarding WS's fall. Describes the meteors he saw from his window on December 4.