Is actively pursuing mathematical investigations. Plans to come to Cambridge soon for a short visit. Will follow this first letter by many more. Excavations by the Geological Society going on in JH's area.
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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.
Is actively pursuing mathematical investigations. Plans to come to Cambridge soon for a short visit. Will follow this first letter by many more. Excavations by the Geological Society going on in JH's area.
Discusses university politics. Misses JH. Impressed by [Edward] Bromhead's mathematical abilities. Is considering translating a book by S. F. Lacroix. George Peacock's Tripos examination questions have caused controversy. Believes Peacock should have stressed applied over pure mathematics.
Asks about WW's mathematical investigations. JH's book on algebra is progressing. Describes mathematical investigations by [Edward] Bromhead in calculus of factors. Misses Cambridge.
Is pursuing mathematical investigations with Charles Babbage. Asks WW to check whether George Peacock is progressing in printing the Supplement to Lacroix's volume.
Informs JH of the place of Simon Stevin in the history of the idea of a parallelogram of forces. Has heard that JH is investigating polarized rays.
Grateful for WW's comments on investigations of [Simon] Stevin. JH's work on polarization of light. Discovery of multiple axes of polarization was preempted by David Brewster. Diagrams polarization of niter crystals and Iceland spar.
Thanks WW for and expresses agreement with WW's analysis of Simon Stevin. Describes experiments JH is conducting on the polarization of light.
Expresses thanks for and comments on JH's account of JH's optical experiments. Discusses efforts to improve mathematical education at Cambridge, including WW's book on mechanics.
Praises WW's new book [Elementary Treatise on Mechanics]; is working to get WW elected to the R.S.L. Criticizes a pamphlet by George Peacock. Comments on rules proposed for the new Cambridge Philosophical Society.
Provides detailed travel suggestions for WW's planned trip to the continent. Asks WW to deliver letters to various European scientists.
Urges JH to come to Brighton and then to return with him to Cambridge; stresses that both he and Richard Jones are anxious to talk with JH.
Discusses regions of the Alps and sends sketch of Monte Rosa. Informs JH of a brilliant student, G. B. Airy, who is constructing a calculating machine. Condolences on the death of William Herschel.
Thanks WW for drawing of Monte Rosa. Comments on a recent political election.
Gives advice on WW's planned trip to Europe. Asks WW to contact various scientists there on JH's behalf.
Comments favorably on a method developed by WW for designating the faces of crystals. Presents a method JH had worked out previously, but writes on the letter: 'Not sent—On rereading his letter I find it is his idea—strange!'
Praises and comments on some proposals made by WW for designating the faces of crystals. Urges him to present his method to the R.S.L.
Presents a system WW has devised for designating the faces of crystals. Asks JH whether it would be suitable for presentation to the R.S.L.
Advises WW on how to submit WW's paper on crystallography to the R.S.L. Asks him to visit Henry White.
Strongly praises WW's completed paper on crystallography. Questions one point in it.
Reports on the reception of WW's crystallography paper at the R.S.L. Asks WW to add a comment on the paper's relation to a paper in David Brewster's journal. Asks WW to contact George Peacock.