Thanks for sending him his paper on sound. Comments on this and gives some of his own findings on this subject.
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.
Thanks for sending him his paper on sound. Comments on this and gives some of his own findings on this subject.
Unable to help him as Richardson's Brisbane Observations have not yet come to hand. Feels the same as JH does regarding the presentation of the true colors of his parents.
Asks about rumor regarding JH going to Cape. Describes some electrical experiments WT saw at Royal Institution and refers to some WT carried out years earlier.
Has glanced over the papers and made a few corrections. Suggests one point for alteration.
Has received the glasses from Dr. John Dalton with very minute answers. Dalton gave a paper on this subject in 1794 to the Manchester Society. Will bring them to London tomorrow. Dr. Simms is in a critical condition.
Asks for seeds and roots of native plants of the Cape. Refers to JH's writings on beating of the heart and comments on some optical experiments of Charles Wheatstone and David Brewster.
Will write [J.-B.] Biot, but does not know to which enquiries Biot wishes JH to respond. Also wants to thank Biot for his kindness. S.-D. Poisson in a statement before the Académie des sciences has misdescribed JH's planned voyage.
The observational data from FS regarding Gamma Virginis are so significant that JH begs FS to continue to observe and send JH the results. Comments on a number of other astronomical observational matters.
Concerned about payment for instruments. Has read in newspaper that JH is preparing to study the southern hemisphere. Asks to keep in touch. Will soon go to Paris for transit instrument and another publisher for the translation of JH's work. Problems on account of Revolution.
JH preparing for his journey to Cape Town. Compiling a catalog of nebulae and clusters. Sending to CH a comparison of a new set of elements of Gamma Virginis and a set of observations of it from 1720-1833; JH asks CH to send a copy to Carl Gauss.
Gently rejects MP's offer to accompany JH to the Cape to act as JH's assistant. JH claims the voyage to be a 'pure family party of pleasure,' and if astronomy can not be well practiced at the Cape, the family may go on to India to visit the relatives of JH's wife, Margaret.
Praises JH's Prelim. Discourse and work in general. Wishes well at the Cape.
Thanks JH for clues to interesting star 'near Eta Coronae.' Sends sketches of April [1832?] observations of nebulae.
Comments on JH's paper on potash in Annales de chimie. Has observed reaction products in microscope. Concerned over delay in publication by David Brewster of his experimental results in optics and light, especially as WT not convinced of legitimacy of rumored results.
Feeling simply 'dismal.'
Has received payment from [John] Murray [for review of Mary Somerville's Mechanism of the Heavens ?]. Cannot answer Mrs. Somerville's question about poles of maximum cold.
Sends on a copy of JH's orbital elements for Gamma Virginis.
Thanks EC's for EC's observations made with EC's excellent telescope. Discusses Eta Coronae, Gamma Virginis, EC's drawing of M51, and whether Orion changes, stating that JH is 'no believer in rapid changes in Nebulae yet there may be changes....'
Has taken some time to consider the climate at the Cape in response to JH's request. Gives details of the climate, suitability of site for observatory, and general conditions at the Cape. There is a reasonable library at Cape Town.
Thanks for his last letter. Assures him he has no bitter feelings over the spirit of David Brewster after his disappointment of the election. May make any use he wishes of his actinometer results. Intends going over to France in a month's time, but is very busy at the present time.