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.
Many thanks for the trouble he has taken over the matter of the telescope for Lima. His own son Joseph is a candidate for the chair of botany at Edinburgh and would be grateful for a testimonial.
Is grateful for JH's testimonial for his son Joseph. Wishes the Herschels would come and look around Kew. Regarding the Cape bulbs. Has no official person to collect seeds.
Illegible.
Sending the first volume of Kosmos. Queries regarding the Magellanic Clouds.
Sends thanks and very high praise for AH's first volume of Kosmos. Also comments on a number of other astronomical matters.
Has applied to the Council for the position and Michael Faraday has promised him support. Has also heard of a forthcoming vacancy in the Museum of Economic Geology. Is undecided which to apply for and would welcome JH's views.
Has been appointed keeper of Mining records at the Museum of Economic Geology. Hopes to meet him personally and thank him for his assistance.
Sends an analysis of the salts he sent him at Cambridge.
Has just been showing Michael Faraday some of his experiments on the influence of magnetism of bodies slowly precipitating; comments on this and will be pleased to carry out any experiments for JH.
Sends a copy of the Britannic Censor. Outlines his aims in producing this new periodical.
Replies to HF's 1845-1-12 that JH has no time to comment on HF's Britannic Censor.
Comments on JH's disagreement with the nebular hypothesis of Auguste Comte, and points out to JM that JH disagrees with some of JM's writings on physical science as well.
Proceeds to show JM in detail that Comte's nebular hypothesis is arguing in a 'vicious circle' [see JH's 1845-7-10].
Is willing to have JM show Comte JH's letter of 1845-7-13, but not JH's 1845-7-16. The latter of these two was intended to show JM the nature of the argument from JH's perspective.
Sorry for the delay in response; JH has been ill for some time. JM has objected to P. S. Laplace's theory of probabilities; JH strongly supports Laplace.
Has invited Charles Grant (Baron Glenelg) to breakfast tomorrow; will JH join them?
Is grateful for his letter regarding the Portland vase; has shown it to Peel, who has agreed to introduce a short bill to protect such properties. Will read JH's letter to the Trustees.
Solicitor General is to introduce a Bill for the better protection of 'things' in Museums. Does not include the National Gallery. The culprit in the Portland vase incident was an Irish student. Is JH dining at the R.S.L. Club on the 27th?
Will find certain friends at the R.S.L. Club on Thursday, including Edward Everett, the American Minister in England.
Thanks for returning the catalogue marked for the books suitable for the Observatory. J. D. Forbes has purchased some to the value of £127. Intends to apply for a pension for the orphan.