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.
Regarding the vacant professorship of chemistry at Cambridge. Recent chemical experiments. Has obtained the book from Mr. Higman. Mr. Pulling was here recently.
Hopes to call on him Monday. Is just off to Brighton for medical reasons. Will return to Cambridge later.
WW's elegant presentation of doctrine of limits is best basis for elementary treatise but not for extensive work, because it involves imaginary functions. Charles Babbage is making progress in theory of functional equations.
Idling time at Brighton. Gives equations for CB to study. Regarding the equipment he needs for experiments. Will not be able to return to professional activities for some time.
Answer regarding CB's problem in analysis. Will visit him soon. Getting apparatus ready to be moved to Cambridge.
Reasons why he could not visit him when in London. Gives views on a paper of CB's. Fears he must give up the profession.
Asking him to get certificate signed for his election to the R.S.L. Has had no time for mathematics recently. Will be prepared to write anonymous article against analysists.
Supports CB for membership in R.S.L. Little time recently for mathematics, but is quite upset with analysts.
Is in the midst of examining. Will call when in town this week. Has done nothing in analysis lately.
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.
Reports on some chemical results obtained by JH.
Does not have CB's manuscript on functions in his possession. Regarding the translations of S. F. Lacroix. Has done no work while at home.
Is sorry that CB's paper could not be printed in the recent issue of the R.S.P.T. Discusses problem in analysis. [Note dated [1816-]2-7]: has been waiting for Mr. Deighton's estimate of printing.
Has received parcel and letter. Has not had much time to give attention to the manuscript yet. On the R.S.L. and the printing of long papers. Hopes to have CB's translation of S. F. Lacroix soon. Regarding one of his equations.
Regrets he cannot assist CB over the position at East India College. William Herschel has less influence over Sir Joseph Banks than CB thinks. Regarding his paradoxes in functional equations.
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.
Has had little leisure to write. Been working on S. F. Lacroix. Regarding the appendix to Lacroix. Is going to the Isle of Wight. Hopes to write a work on analytics. Has heard that CB is writing articles for the journal of the Royal Institution. Would like to write articles for an encyclopaedia.
Gives necessary information for printing end of JH's and Peacock's translation of [S. F.] Lacroix's text on the calculus. Requests news about Cambridge. Tells of JH's travels through England, and Charles Babbage's interests.