Correction to be made in JH's biographical sketch of William Whewell.
Correction to be made in JH's biographical sketch of William Whewell.
Thinks it would be best to send his son's letter to G. G. Stokes at the R.S.L. Cannot give a positive opinion on WH's plan for seeing the prominences. Finds some discrepancies in the Report of WH's paper on Sirius and the paper itself.
Forwarded both of John's papers on solar observations to William Huggins. Comments on solar prominences and spots, and on Eta Argus. Concern for Esther's fever. Report of 'great meteor' seen at Collingwood. Alexander Herschel came home from Glasgow with new device called 'bicycle' that amuses neighbors. Explains optics problem in telescopes. English system of measures.
Praises AS for commencing his fifty-second course of lectures at age 84. Laments his own frailty. Recommends an array of meteorological books . Lists 'useful' meteorological instruments. Mentions family matters.
Sympathizes with Dr. C. T. Beke but regrets he is unable to contribute towards his assistance.
Grieves to say that he will be unable to attend the meeting at the Royal Institution to honor Michael Faraday, as his health is so poor. Thinks Faraday was a great man in all ways.
Develops mathematical theorem.
Comments on poetry, EC's and Robert Browning's; talks about the bicycle.
About AD's health and the cold summer.
Received TW's book and approves simplicity and economy of its method of keeping time by using small fixed telescope to reduce star observations. Disapproves of using 'Dominical Letters.' Suggests using Julian dates.
Glad for Mary's recovery. Congratulations on John's promotion to captain. Suggests method to study solar prominences without spectroscope. [Letter continues 15 June:] Alexander Herschel reports that G. B. Airy tried this method unsuccessfully long ago, but JH is sure it will work.
Reports on paper [R.S.P.T., 159,. 575-] by [Thomas] Andrews on continuity of gaseous and liquid states of matter, believing it fit for publication.
Note to accompany an extract from JH's son John's letter, reporting on his observations of solar prominences.
Concerned about AD's health. Offers theory of the constitution of matter.
No summary available.
Attached comments [not included] convey JH's views on MS's new manuscript [On Molecular and Microscopical Science, 1869]. Expresses reservations about MS's endorsement of current ideas of forces and their correlation and conservation.
Encourages RP in his speculations about the nebulae and the structure of the Milky Way, which RP suggested is formed of a 'system of convolutions,' but raises objections to RP's views. Discusses idea that the Milky Way contains miniatures of itself and that beyond it may be a hierarchy of universes comparable to the Milky Way.
Of the fruit in the garden and the arrival of various of their daughters; JH seems to be feeling a little sorry for himself, but concludes with a riddle in French.
Thanks for second volume of Physique sociale. Happy to see AQ refuting 'the results of statistics of life, accident, crime...[as] indicative of an absence of free agency in human beings and the presence of some sort of impelling necessity.' Mentions JH's daughter's marriage and her learning Chinese.
Discusses Olbers's Paradox, raises objections to RP's argument for the existence of dark celestial matter, and points out problems in RP's method of measuring stellar diameters.