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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.
Some time ago he sent JH a parcel of books and letters. Wonders if they ever reached him. Now sends some letters that shows how his work is appreciated on the continent.
Regrets his letter should have given offense but wrote it with the intention of claiming his rights at the R.S.L.
Received the enclosed in August from Teodoro Monticelli but did not know how to forward it to JH. Would he return the letter when finished with.
Informs JH that the B.A.A.S. has again placed him on a committee to translate and publish foreign scientific memoirs.
Hopes to hear a good account of Lady Herschel and their little boy. If JH comes to luncheon on the 22nd he will be able to see the drawings of the Caucasus.
Just received RP's Dec. 1837 observations, forwarded from Cape of Good Hope. JH is now president of R.S.L. joint committee of Physics and Meteorology. Meteor shower of 10 Aug. 1839. Describes global magnetic survey conducted on Göttingen Mean Time. Hopes U.S. will join survey. [Enclosure: Printed notice of global magnetic survey, listing participating governments, purposes, and instruments.]
Transmits a message from J. B. Biot, comments on the Daguerreotype, although WT has not tried it.
Accepts invitation to party next Tuesday. Regrets not visiting more often at Cavendish Square or Hampstead. JH's wife and 'little one' are well.
[Marked 'Private.'] Encloses letter from Alexander von Humboldt containing suggestions to R.S.L. regarding J. C. Ross's expedition.
Suggestions by Alexander von Humboldt will be added to R.S.L. report regarding J. C. Ross's expedition. Send copy of Humboldt's letter so that it too may be included.
JH appointed to committee with G. B. Airy and Thomas Henderson to study the reductions of the calculations on N. L. Lacaille's stars. They will be granted £189.
JH appointed to head a committee including George Peacock, Humphrey Lloyd, and Edward Sabine to study meteorological instruments. They will be granted £400. The grant will be presented in Glasgow next September.
Americans plan to investigate laws of North American storms. U.S. government should apply to British if cooperation is desired. Thanks JH for letter recommending ES for royal medal. Hopes someone will work on scientific data collected by different governments.
Speaks of arrangements for magnetic observatories in India, in the Himalayas, and at Bombay. Discusses the locations and buildings of the sites. Wishes to add Singapore as an observatory station.
Encloses a letter from Alexander von Humboldt to Lord Minto endorsing the idea of an international magnetic survey. Stresses the value of the letter.
Encloses notes. Has received JH's message about the action of the R.S.L. Council.
Encloses Humphrey Lloyd's plans for [magnetic] observation. Requests a reply.
Claims the name 'meteorological committee' is misleading for a R.S.L. committee that handles all branches of observational physics. Suggests that physics be divided into 'Experimental and Terrestrial.'
Announces that copies of the observations are being sent by post and states that additions and corrections will be approved and added before the full report is submitted to the R.S.L. Council for authorization for printing. Agrees to write up the Meteorological Committee's annual report.
Agrees that in the R.S.L., Geology belongs under Terrestrial Physics, and would be there had it not its own committee. Says Terrestrial Magnetism no longer belongs under the head of Atmospheric Physics. Claims he plans to discontinue his membership in the R.S.L. if his committee is no longer in charge of terrestrial magnetism. Refers to the awarding of medals.