From:
Sir John Herschel
To:
Charles Babbage
Date:
[1822-4]
Source of text:
RS:HS 20.135
Summary:
Tells CB that JH has seen a calculating machine made by some 'rascally frenchman'.
Contributor:
John Herschel Project
Tells CB that JH has seen a calculating machine made by some 'rascally frenchman'.
Asks JH to check accuracy of Nautical Almanac entry for Jupiter's satellites III and IV on 20 Aug. 1819. Thanks for JH's note, but tell James South 'he is bound to give his reasons....'
No summary available.
Pleased to hear of Smith's new work, "for to promote any study the greatest facilities should be given", believes that Valpy's and Jones' modern English-Greek Grammars would have saved him much time in his youth. His opinion on sexing of woodcocks changed, having considered opinions of Irish sportsmen and dissections made by Duke of Gordon.
Unconvinced by Horticultural Society's proposal for 33 acre experimental garden near Chiswick, [Middlesex], as the institution at present is already expensive, keeping up the garden could only be done through repeated calls for funds from members, and it will only be useful for publishing, for if the produce is sold then the nursery gardeners will be injured. Smith has not noticed his hedgehog anecdote.
Postscript on "Charms of fox-hunting", large portion of text missing from removal of address label on opposing side.
Fears JH misunderstood TY's remark about the injustice of James South's accusation regarding Nautical Almanac. TY was not trying to provoke South's hostility. Sends 'Schumacher's No. 10' for JH's perusal.
Discusses JS's efforts to reform the Nautical Almanac, including JS's Practical Observations on the Nautical Almanac. States that in this 'awful crisis' JS has no hostile feelings toward its superintendent, Thomas Young.
No summary available.
Matters relating to his calculating machine.
He has never regarded [Thomas William] Coke's marriage "in any other light than as a subject of congratulation" [in 1822 Coke married Lady Anne Amelia Keppel (1803-1844), 50 years his junior]; Coke's warm character. Observations on derivation of 'Nerium'. Expects to visit Dr [John] Bostock in London about 27 May [1822], hopes to also see Smith. Just returned from trip to Liverpool, where he left his father [John Yates (1755-1826), Unitarian minister] and the Martin family [Smith's sister] in good health.
Please forward enclosed papers.
Glad to hear Smith will visit them in May, hopes he will being Lady [Pleasance] Smith; will take him to botanise at Binfield and Virginia Water, [Berkshire]. Found many more specimens of his new 'Silene', which if not 'S. lusitanica' is a decumbent plant. Planning to publish a Flora of Berkshire with [James] Bicheno.
No summary available.
His daughter-in-law, Mrs Cullum, dangerously ill with a rheumatic complaint, and having been treated with lancets and blisters she is now to take the waters at Barèges, [France], for a year. Attended Linnean Society meeting and dinner in February at the Thatched House Tavern with Bishop of Carlisle [Samuel Goodenough] and [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert; Mrs [Catherine] Lambert still ill and restless. Presumes Smith has heard of Horticultural Society's plans to establish a garden; they intend to fund it by increasing by a guinea the admission fee for new member, wishes the Linnean Society would adopt a similar plan. Sorry that Smith could not visit to view Sir Thomas Gage's collections, thinks the cryptogamia curious and valuable and encloses list of the 'Orchis' and 'Ophrys' [not extant]. Hopes to see Smith in London in May.
No summary available.
Comments on the need to travel, and on the boredom of the meetings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh; family news.
P. L. Guinand has informed the Astronomical Society that he can make flint glass free from the usual imperfections. Would like any information from JN. One of his papers has been named as likely to receive a prize. Hears that an arithmetical machine has recently been demonstrated before the Institute. Have any details been made public?
Sends first volume of Astronomical Society's Transactions and JH's paper on aberrations ['On the Aberrations of Compound Lenses.' 1821]. Asks for geodesical results at Ã…bo.
Please forward enclosed note to Mrs. Roget [wife of P. M. Roget?]. Various items of interest.
Thanking him for poetry. Would like some more, written on a different subject and under better conditions.
Returns Smith the curious Nepalese plant as he does not preserve exotics. Smith and he agree on use of "shall" and "will" and encloses copy of home instruction for use [not extant]. Encloses copy of letter he sent to [Thomas] Rackett [extant] describing his childhood sighting of red viper near Newbury, [Berkshire], and suggests name 'Coluber chersea', to be read as response to Rackett's "Linnean Transactions" paper.
Received seeds of Bergamont mint from Peru from his son. They have great prospect of fruit; used oiled paper frames to save from cold on open wall. Attempting to have green melons for 4 June anniversary but fears will be too late. Gave away cucumbers yesterday.
[On separate folio] "On the Red Viper - in a letter &c Feb. 1822", response to Rackett's paper on the red viper [2 pp]