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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.
Tells of James Ross's broken instrument at the Cape and of efforts to send new equipment to him. Speaks of [Francis] Beaufort's magnetic observations at sea. Has looked for the memorial in the Athenaeum but does not believe it was published there. Does not know if Humphrey Lloyd is getting married.
Announces that the Quarterly Review has approved JH's article for immediate publication. Relays the message that JH should finish it as soon as possible.
Says the needle of a magnetic instrument has been made heavier as requested by ES. Mentions other instruments and their performances. Remarks on the Quarterly [Review].
Gentleman from Holland, sent by his King, has arrived and is eager to learn about and set up a magnetic observatory in Holland and two or three more in the Dutch colonies. Is excited about the possibility of a South American station. Believes it possible that in a few years there will be maps of all the oceans.
Desires that JH read the enclosed work by Mrs. Sabine about Antarctica.
Encloses some comments of Archibald Smith about C. F. Gauss's General Theory. Believes Smith plans to go on an expedition. Mentions two new magnetometers, the building of a Cape observatory, and the recommendation to the Parliament of Holland to build an observatory.
Thanks JH for reading Mrs. Sabine's work. Discusses the work of C. F. Gauss and his observations regarding the southern hemisphere.
Physical Committee yesterday amended report by J. D. Forbes and recommended that R.S.L. establish a magnetical and meteorological observatory in vicinity of London.
Discusses difficulties with establishing public magnetical and meteorological observatory. Mentions other business.
[Charles] Riddell's observations suggest Europe and North America experience magnetic disturbances at similar times, but in opposite directions. Suggests course of action for [Charles] Riddell and Lieutenant Younghusband in North America.
Payment for instruments sent to Breslau observatory. Received proofs of JH's paper, which does justice to Humphrey Lloyd. Spoke to Lord Melbourne about establishing a magnetical and meteorological observatory in vicinity of London. Compares expenses for permanent and temporary observatories.
Reports on letter from Humphrey Lloyd and latest information from [J. C.] Ross's voyage. Has received JH's meteorological plates.
Will give Humphrey Lloyd's and his own latest magnetic data to JH for use in JH's report to the B.A.A.S. Observations continue in Milan. Year-long observations will soon be completed at Dublin Observatory. Proposes 400-page publication of simultaneous observations. Mentions Lloyd's insistence on processing incoming data himself.
Encloses letters from Heinrich Boguslawski and others about magnetic observatories at various foreign locations, e.g., St. Helena, Toronto, and Hammerfest, Norway. Is going to Glasgow for the B.A.A.S. meeting. Mentions seeing Humphrey Lloyd in Berne.
Excited about brilliant aurora in Toronto and the possibility of comparing magnetic data from observatories in North America, Europe, and St. Helena.
Encloses letter from Sanchez Cerquero about meteorological observations. Has not yet received JH's report on the magnetic observatories.
Received and corrected JH's magnetism [B.A.A.S.] report. Mentions interesting account by Dr. [Johann] Lam[ont] about a vertical force magnet used in Munich. ES read earlier letter from Heinrich Boguslawski proposing a special set-up of magnets. Humphrey Lloyd acknowledges it might be an improvement.
Actinometers for [Louis] Agassiz and John Caldecott are ready. Asks if JH wants to compare them to his standard instrument. Excessive magnetic disturbances in May were found simultaneously in Göttingen and Toronto, but the curves do not correspond.
Has requested John Caldecott to do what is needful to his own and [Louis] Agassiz's actinometers. Mentions great magnetic disturbances in June are not correlated in Toronto, Greenwich, and other observatories. Mentions proposal for correlation of observations between U.S. and Britain. ES leaves soon for Guernsey.
Consults JH before responding to Wilhelm Weber's proposal for publication of observations. ES proposes to publish German data with data from Toronto, St. Helena, the Cape, and Van Diemen's Land. The Physical Committee of the R.S.L. suggests strengthening Adolphe Quetelet's application to the Belgian government for magnetic observations. The Hammerfest [Norway] magnetic curve does not harmonize with European ones.