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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.
Attended the General Assembly of the Church in Edinburgh in May last. Comments on its proceedings. Travelled around Scotland. Is now on his way to India. Has had good weather for the most part. Comments on Gibraltar, Malta, and North Africa.
Communicating the elements of Castor and Corona by JH's method. Comments on these readings.
Sends thanks and very high praise for AH's first volume of Kosmos. Also comments on a number of other astronomical matters.
Asks WP to recall the particulars of an experimental session [see WP's 1823-3-11] where JH tried to demonstrate the polarization of light by an electrical current in a coil of wire.
WP identifies date and people present at the time of the experiment referred to by JH in his 1845-11-9.
Is now finally empowered to order the telescope he inquired about [see JH's 1843-9-2].
Provides more specific prices and information for the refractor that GM believes will meet the specified needs [see GM's 1843-9-20].
Approves GM's price for making 6.5-inch telescope. Proceed with work, which must be completed in five or six months. JH must consult others before approving mounting and clockwork [see GM's 1845-11-18].
Is writing about further arrangements about the telescope to go to the Cape Observatory; JH is negotiating with George Merz for it [see GA's 1845-10-28].
Thinks Dean of Ely [George Peacock] should be appointed treasurer of R.S.L. Discusses George Rennie and Robert Brown as other possible candidates.
Communication from [Henry] Goulburn is official. Government will continue observatories and acquaint other governments with them. Admiralty will furnish meteorological instruments for coast stations.
Encloses copy of letter to Lord Northampton that Northampton was to send on to [Henry] Goulburn. JH may send it to [Henry] Addington or to the states that have cooperated.
Discusses MS's light experiments. JH will present the results to Royal Society. Describes apparatus that may help her. Recently attended a meeting concerning continental magnetics and meteorology.
Hopes extracts from Mary Somerville's letters on her experiments with 'Coloration of Light,' specifically, 'action of rays on vegetable juices,' can be read to R.S.L.
Expresses satisfaction with results of continued magnetic and meteorological observations in various locations.
Asks JH to write an abstract of the discourse JH presented to R.A.S. Moon model is on display at R.A.S.
Details attempts to purchase Mme. Witte's lunar model for the 'Museum of Oconomic Geology.'
Will give lecture on moon in which he will discuss its composition, the craters Kepler and Gassendi, plus generalities.
Cannot attend R.A.S. meeting to explain Mme. Witte's lunar model; will send notes of explanation. Busy with the publication of Cape Results. Will write paper on improved method of calculating double star orbits. Discusses relationships of periods of Saturnian satellites.
Urges JH to seek funding for Cape Botanical Garden. Notes that Cape Colonial Government proposes that superintendent of the Garden would also serve as professor of chemistry and botany at the South African College.