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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.
[J. B.] Smith plans second reading [of metric bill] on 18 [Apr.] before Parliament adjourns. AH will approve it again. Philip Harwood, editor of Saturday Review, asks for article by JH on [metric system] before House votes on it.
Is anxious to have an astronomical eye-piece based on JH's principles. Encloses communication from Messrs. Horne and Thornthwaite, who would like details for their employee, [W.?] Ackland, to work from.
Is at present too ill to involve himself in any calculations necessary for making a good optical eyepiece.
Is grateful for his reply. Hopes he is feeling better. Escaped worst of the winter by expedition to Algeria, though the results were disappointing. Comments on some of his observations. Feels sure [W.?] Ackland will be able to construct a suitable eyepiece.
Encloses notice which J. C. Poggendorf has published regarding JH. Details of further modifications in his experimental apparatus.
Has been unable to locate [W. L.] Newman's tables (astronomical) at the R.A.S. Would he please send further details.
Thanks TA for further information [see JH's 1871-2-22] on TA's work on ice calorimeter.
Is distressed to hear that [W. L.] Newman's tables cannot be found at the R.A.S. Please make a further search. Does the R.A.S. have C. J. G. [=J. W.] Pastorff's volume of drawings of sunspots?
Acknowledges receipt of 'present' from [H. J. R.] Petersen.
He has seen C. J. G. Pastorff's drawings at the R.A.S. Still no trace of Mr. Newman's tables.
Thanks for his Easter offering. Sends a little book which he may find useful.
Comments on several aspects of poetry; further comments on French/German relations [see JH's 1871-2-9 & 1871-3-22].
Hopes that he found the report of the Porcupine Expedition worth his consideration. Sends a paper in which he examines the question of the Gulf Stream.
Discusses WC's ideas on the causes of oceanic circulation. Notes that wind currents are easier to study than water currents. Glad WC got his specimens of Mediterranean water.
Has despatched a letter on a subject of concern to JH to the editor of the Saturday News, but now feels it is too feeble. Is mostly feeling too ill to write or think for long.
Encloses copy of JH's letter to R.A.S. [see JH's 1864-6-29] that accompanied JH's submission of W. L. Newman's tables for determining radii of aplanatic lenses. Suspects that there was more than one volume of tables.
In Nov. 1864, R.A.S. council instructed secretary Charles Pritchard to write to JH regarding tables by late [W. L.] Newman of York, but JW finds no evidence that Pritchard complied. Cannot find Newman's tables. Pritchard may have taken them.
Is a candidate for the headship of Reading Grammar School and would be grateful if JH would give him a testimonial.
Opposes bill on decimalization of [British] weights and measures.
Many thanks for his comprehensive explanations for the use of that word. Regrets JH's tenant at Slough is so unpunctual. Has JH any plan or map of his property at Slough and Upton?