Asks AS to send him plagiedral quartz for experimentation. Unable to commence Cornish expeditions with Charles Babbage. Requests AS discuss publication of their [JH's, George Peacock's, and Babbage's] book with Peacock.
Asks AS to send him plagiedral quartz for experimentation. Unable to commence Cornish expeditions with Charles Babbage. Requests AS discuss publication of their [JH's, George Peacock's, and Babbage's] book with Peacock.
Discusses study of Oolite beds. Mother recently died. Will bring paper to publisher. Discusses last Cambridge Philosophical Society meeting, [James] Wood, and [E. D.] Clarke. Cannot locate the crystal JH requested.
Received £500 from J. C. Spencer (Lord Althorp) for reduction under the direction of G. B. Airy of earlier planetary observations. Althorp conferred with Lord Grey. Conjectures possible need of a larger grant.
Discusses prior meeting of B.A.A.S. to determine if [Cambridge] University would receive it. Says meeting went well. Asks if JH will agree to chair the B.A.A.S. meeting.
Discusses the meeting of the B.A.A.S. and William Whewell's view of the proceeding. Will assume the chair and expects support from AS, George Peacock, and probably Whewell.
Discusses meetings of B.A.A.S. Describes [Robert Chambers's] Vestiges of Creation as a 'singularly shallow work.' Asks various astronomical questions of JH. Says the author misunderstands P. S. Laplace and Auguste Comte. AS is quite harsh in criticism.
[Robert Chambers's] Vestiges of Creation is shallow and full of errors. Tells AS not to spare it when he reviews it. Discusses various topics including the nebular hypothesis, P. S. Laplace, central heat in gravitation, and the density of planets. Also, the 'nonsensical calculations' of Auguste Comte's astronomy.
Invites AS to Collingwood for Christmas. JH has been ill.
Thanks her for her hospitality. Discusses letter read at Geological Society the previous night. Asks that Mrs. [G. B.] Airy's picture be returned.
States he must get to Cambridge to present his book [Cape Results] to the Queen and Prince. Seeks advice from AS on handling the matter.
Invites AS to Collingwood for Christmas. The Somervilles and the Adamses will also be present.
Will edit a manual [Admiralty Manual] of Scientific Desiderata and Queries as requested by [George Eden,] Lord Auckland. Is AS preparing any material for this work? What is its content and when will it be ready?
Thanks JH for letter of 7 December, inviting him to Collingwood for Christmas. Apologizes for not coming. Received bad domestic news and was robbed. Will testify at Old Bailey.
Is ill and cannot write instructions. Directs JH to instructions written earlier by the Council of the Geological Society.
Because AS cannot visit JH, JH has sent a circular. Assumes circular of [George Eden,] Lord Auckland will also be received. Will wait for response to query.
Accepts invitation to Norwich. For Geological Instructions, JH will wait to hear from [George Eden,] Lord Auckland. If necessary, he will consult [Charles] Darwin regarding the Instructions.
Needs clarification of the relationship between the sun's rotation and the nebular hypothesis. Do the planets between Mars and Jupiter create problems for the hypothesis?
Family has been ill. Discusses possibilities for the formation of the sun and their effects on the law of area and the nebular hypothesis.
Tells JH to arrive 16 May. Will send train schedule. Sends regards to family.
Says the family will arrive at Norwich on 16 or 17 May.