Could he let him have the address of his son James as his mother died this morning.
Could he let him have the address of his son James as his mother died this morning.
Informs CH of his gold medal from the French Academy of Sciences for JH's and James South's paper on double stars. Finds CH's catalogue of nebulae in zones very useful. Heard about Johann Pfaff's death. James Grahame may be moving to Göttingen.
Comments on JH's mother's health, some communication from Greenwich, and the weather.
Knows nothing of the enmity of Humphry Davy towards [John] Herapath. The purpose of JH's last letter was to point out that Herapath was in error in his solution of certain equations. Must consider correspondence closed.
No summary available.
JH's attempts with Edward Sabine to measure the difference in longitude between Greenwich and the Paris Observatory. Supplies, for Alexander von Humboldt, JH's measurement of Mount Etna's height. Gives message for François Arago concerning paper on magnetism published by JH and Charles Babbage.
Note to accompany the sending of a number of papers; comments on the orbits of double stars.
He has been staying in Devon with his daughter. Glad to hear Smith's health better. Invites the Smiths to stay with them in Walthamstow, [Essex]. Account of his time in Devon, found 'Scirpus holoschoenus' and 'Teucrium scordium'. His health bad again. Thanks for Smith's "new edition".
Concerning Lieut. C. L. Largeteau's recent observations.
Describes his travels since leaving Norwich on 30 April: stayed with Thomas Forster at Walthamstow and Edward Forster at Hale End, [both in Essex]; gave course of 10 lectures at the London Institution; saw the Coke family and Dr [Martin] Davy of Caius College, [Cambridge]; arrived in Bristol on 12 June but inflammation in his lungs recurred after his first three lectures, following treatment with James's powder, bleeding, and starvation resumed and completed lectures to a "brilliant & numerous" audience; staying in a cottage till end of September to regain his health. Finished third volume of his "[English] Flora". Heat in London prevented him from seeing Roscoe's son, Thomas, and the only exhibition or sight he saw was the King in the drawing room.
Thanks for the double star catalogue of JH and James South; comments on observing Encke's and Biela's comets.
No summary available.
JH's mother will pay Mr. Beckwith to cover debt of MB's brother Thomas, who now owes Lady Herschel £1035. Comments on Thomas Baldwin's proposal for business partnership with JH and request for loan from JH.
Comments on various errors detected in the catalogue of double stars published by JH and JS. Scientific affairs in Paris in relation to Alexander von Humboldt, François Arago, P. S. Laplace, and others. Various cometary and stellar observations of JS.
No summary available.
Suffering from giddiness brought on by the excessive heat of their "uncommon summer"; initially treated it as proceeding from gout but found his stomach was at fault, took purgatives to counteract the threat of constipation but has observed scybala; blames his heavy work load. The heat's effect on the garden: flowers all destroyed, apricots and peaches have not swelled nor ripened, peas and beans were ready all at once and quickly too old for the table, and oats and barley cramped by the heat, though the corn is promising. The poor manufacturing people do not have work above three days a week.
Writing in response to claims made by Josef Fraunhofer, discusses the relative merits of reflecting versus refracting telescopes. Adds comments on double star observations made by JH and James South.
Asks JS to check over and forward to Astronomische Nachrichten JH's paper ['Letter on Fraunhofer's Claims for the Inferiority of Reflecting as Compared to Refracting Telescopes'], which paper calls attentions to errors in the catalogue of double stars published by JS and JH.
Addresses Smith as "one of the most successful and scientific cultivators of Natural History of which England can boast", informing him that a natural history museum funded by the government has been established here, by order of Lord Charles Somerset [(1767-1831), colonial administrator], and of which he has been appointed a superintendent. Offers to send Smith and Linnean Society any botanical, zoological, or mineralogical specimens required. Concedes that whilst considerable attention has been paid to this part of the world's botany a great deal remains to be done, alluding to new discoveries such as 'Crapula', 'Mesembryanthemum', 'Aloe', and 'Colyledon'. An application has been made to attach a botanic garden to the museum.
Heard that Smith's bad health forced him to abandon his Bristol lectures. Lady Cullum alarmingly ill with spasms of the thorax and abdomen: camphor, opium, and [ether] have gave little relief but small doses of calomel and castor oil helped, and she is now convalescing though her appetite is suppressed by an intermittent fever. On journey to Cheltenham could only briefly stop at Oxford to use stables and coach house of Dr [Martin] Routh [(1755-1854)], Master of Magdalen College, as it was race week.
Transcribes brief extract of letter from General [Thomas] Hardwicke on improvement of his health. Implores Smith not to overwork himself on "English Flora" and to forget "every thing unpleasant that passed at Cambridge" [Smith's campaign for botany professorship]. His son at Aix-la-Chapelle, [Germany], or Brussels, [Netherlands], his daughter-in-law's poor health the same despite trying so many celebrated baths in Europe.