Text Online
From:
Michael Faraday
To:
John Henry Vivian
Date:
2 December 1823
Source of text:
NLW VP A.186
Summary:
No summary available.
Contributor:
Faraday Project
No summary available.
Vol. 6 and 7 of F. W. Bessel's observations. Did DB receive JH's paper?
No summary available.
Sending Smith Weihe's "Rubi Germanici" for inspection, at suggestion of Edward Forster, and specimens of the 'Rubus' of this region. List of specimens with observations, numbered, dated 6 December 1823, including: 'R. leucostachys', 'R. fruticasus', 'R. rhamnifolius', 'R. nitidus', 'R. suberectus', 'R. corylifolius', 'R. affinis', 'R. glandulosus', 'R. caesius', and 'R. idaeus'.
Society awarded JP silver medal. JH willing to accept on JP's behalf and forward it.
Sent a barrel of oysters for Smith. [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert in high spirits but Mrs [Catherine] Lambert worse than ever and never sees anyone. Smith's distinction between 'Geum' and 'Dryas' "very satisfactory" and Goodenough had not observed it before; singular generic character of 'Icosandria' so striking it makes one examine the plants carelessly.
They had a wintry summer and kept fires in all rooms as in the depth of winter, and garden produce was badly damaged: no apples, unripe pears, flavourless strawberries and raspberries, and corn very late and still green in fields on 3 November, but they produced mulberries only the third time and enjoyed a good peach harvest at the end of October. Less radicalism in his area of Cumberland. Comments on the difficulty of filling the positions of Attorney and Solicitor Generals due to the "great dearth of profound lawyers", similar to the lack of profound scholars in several of the learned professions.
Is collecting and translating William Herschel's writings, projected for 4 volumes, the first one already being in press. Requests JH to provide additional biographical information about his father for one of the later volumes.
Returning the five volumes of the Berlin yearbook with thanks. Regarding the observations of P. F. A. Méchain at Slough in 1787.
Recently sent Smith specimens of 'Salix glauca' and four roses, not knowing which he referred to as not a variety of '[Rosa] arvensis'. Does not know Smith's 'R. subglobosa'; thinks others of [Joseph] Woods' [(1776-1864)] varieties may rank as species; thinks he should have united two more of Smith's list, the 'R. woodsii' with 'R. dumetorum', and 'R. canna' with 'R. sarmentacea'. He has found and cultivated 'R. collina'; observations.
Discusses work of himself, [William] Borrer, and [James] Bicheno on 'Rubus', observations on 'Rubus cordifolius' and 'Rubus rhamnifolius'; will send specimens to Smith, named on authority of Merten and Weihe. Also sending plant of 'Campanuta punctata'.
Account of discussion with [Joseph] Sabine on roses.
[Bicheno's letter:] proposed rearrangement of the genus 'Rubus'.
[Forster's note:] queries some of Bicheno's decisions.
No summary available.
Writing in confidence, informs JH of a conversation with Humphry Davy concerning the appointment of assistants for John Pond, Astronomer Royal. Situation complicated by Pond's precarious health and the widespread belief that JH would be the appropriate successor to Pond.
Strongly praises WW's completed paper on crystallography. Questions one point in it.
Responding to JS's letter of 1823-12-19, advises caution in countervening John Pond's preferences in the appointment of Royal Observatory assistants. Were the post of Astronomer Royal to become vacant, JH would be 'anything but disinclined to offer myself for it,' but will not make a 'premature declaration' of his willingness to accept it.
No summary available.
New Observatory is being planned on the lines of the new one being built at Obo in Finland. Would like an open letter from JH on the requirements for an observatory. Is there any news of the clock for [L. A.?] Fallon?
Laments not having seen Smith for a long time, gives his reasons. Health of his family. Saw [William] Roscoe recently. [Thomas William] Coke and amenities of Holkham, [Norfolk]. [Alexander] Macleay has bought a small estate in Caithness.
Wrote to Joseph Woods regarding 'Rosa systala' and his paper on 'Rosa' for "Linnean Transactions", transcribes part of Woods' reply. Woods explains an apparent confusion caused between 'Rosa systala' and [Nicaise Auguste] Desvaux's [(1784-1856) French botanist] 'Rosa stylosa', not having seen Desvaux's "Flore d'Anjou" at the time of his paper.
No summary available.
No summary available.