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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.
Dionysius Lardner is candidate for Dublin Observatory. Please send Edward Sabine's paper on longitude.
On the questions of the usefulness of occultations and the use of mean time in astronomy, JH would much value WS's opinions.
Comments on GA's response to an offer from Dublin [see JH's 1827-4-7]; also about the discussion in the Council of the R.S.L. of a report of experiments from William Whewell and GA; JH makes some disparaging remarks about the work of John Pond.
No news of Dublin. Remarks on a series of experiments. Observations on JH's paper on the Nautical Almanac.
Received the first volume of Johann Pfaff's German translation of William Herschel's papers. Just completed a second catalog of double stars; review of nebulae going slowly. JH comments on his precise sweeps.
Would have answered his last letter sooner but has been confined to his house. Encloses specimen of calcareous spar. Has in the past carried out many experiments on this substance. Is he satisfied with a statement in the Optical Glass report? Missing Transactions for the library.
Informs TT that the R.S.L. will print his paper on chromium. Discusses results obtained in TT's experiments.
She 'can only think of what is past, and is for ever forgetting the present.'
Regarding the telescope of the Rev. [T. J.?] Hussey of Chislehurst.
Corrects yesterday's mistake about 'Russian Platina.' It is chemically pure, but mechanically the worst.
Suggests change in composition of a pot to be made by [Apsley] Pellatt for an experiment.
Further observations on JH's paper on the Nautical Almanac.
Discusses JH's efforts to send various publications to JL and to receive publications from JL. Hopes Franz von Gruithuisen, whose 'strange' lunar observations are causing controversy, will come to England with his telescope. Discusses JH's progress in preparing a catalog of nebulae.
A silly imaginary dialogue among JH's servants, and about JG's travels in Devonshire.
Explains to GA the disposition, by the Committee on Papers of the R.S.L., of GA's experimental results [see JH's 1827-5-3].
Describes prismatic spectrum of flame of cyanogen and offers to repeat experiment with Michael Faraday for JH's benefit.
Unable to attend [R.S.L.] council meeting.
Thanks managers of Royal Institution for generosity in offering facilities [to Optical Glass Committee] for erection of a furnace.
Will be out of town for next [R.S.L.?] council meeting. Comments on glass subcommittee report.
Introducing his friend Mr. De Lavigne, who is visiting England. Mentioned him in his memoir on the Measure of the Arc.... Gives news of his own astronomical work. Edward Sabine arrives at the end of the month. Has obtained remarkable results with his two pendulums.