Temporarily at Bridgenorth as his wife's father has died. Must delay his visit to London. Has been interesting his brother-in-law in gas lights.
Temporarily at Bridgenorth as his wife's father has died. Must delay his visit to London. Has been interesting his brother-in-law in gas lights.
Leaving Cambridge shortly, probably for good. Will be under his father's directions observing the stars. Has sent the appendix to S. F. Lacroix. Regarding JH's error in the printing of an equation. Gives an equation for CB to comment on.
Has received a copy of their book. Sending a copy of his own paper printed in the R.S.P.T. Has prepared the way for CB's book on examples. Has been examining [John?] Spence's manuscript.
Chemical experiments with EC's blowpipe. Discovered cause of blowpipe explosions. Thank Mrs. Lowry for carbon substance sent to EC. Sent metal of Baryta to W. H. Wollaston. Suspects metallic nature of carbon and diamond.
Suggests changes for JH's paper on Swedish felspar submitted to Geological Society. Confusion between this and other silicates. Compares JH's analysis to that of Wilhelm Hisinger and others.
Discussed JH's proposed felspar paper [see HW's 1816-4-24] with W. H. Wollaston. Suggests using Wollaston's and [recently deceased Smithson] Tennant's unpublished method to test for alkalis and give Tennant credit for it. James Smithson first coined term 'silicate'.
Enjoyed visit of William Herschel and JH. Sorry about accident with coach. Discusses Horne Tooke's search for metaphysics through etymology. Extensive analysis of nature of verbs. Notes [daughter] Joy's response to JH's Masonic sign.
Thanks JH for William Herschel's gift. Wishes Horne Tooke had lived to publish third volume. E. D. Clarke's experiment with oxygen-hydrogen fuel mix to blowpipe was anticipated by Americans. Cites 1803 journal from New York.
Thanks JH for cheeses and etymology letter. 'Substantive quality' of names. Agrees with [Thomas] Hobbes, questions sensible perceptions. Invites WH for visit as respite from bad health.
Returning home; father dying. News of Cambridge friends. Unable to send information JH requested about university at Ryde. William Whewell upset, because Whewell's father died and was buried before Whewell was notified.
Manuscripts for [1816 translation of S. F. Lacroix's Traité du calcul différential et du calcul intégral] are ready. Send notes and missing appendix quickly, or press will stop.
Mentions some chemical experiments on which JH has worked; hopes EC will exhibit his experiments for R.S.L.
Describes chemical experiments carried out by JH on corundum. Attempts to interpret these experiments.
Praises EC for 'amazing experiments' published in [William T.] Brande's journal [Quarterly Journal of Science and Art]. Wishes EC's publication had appeared in R.S.P.T. Has an experiment to show EC.
Thanks EC for his interest in a paper JH submitted to the Geological Society. JH has come to question some of his observations and to recognize that J. J. Berzelius anticipated JH's recognition of the acid nature of silica.
Reports on some chemical results obtained by JH.
Sending EC a specimen that W. H. Wollaston describes as 'the most intractable substance by fire' he has ever seen. Discusses its properties and possible chemical composition.
Returns with thanks EC's specimen of Island Crystal. Also discusses specimen of titanium lent by EC.
Has dispatched the manuscripts of William Spence by coach, and encloses the key. Hopes JH will call on him when in town.
JG's wife recovering from serious illness; JG writing on population.