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.
Has just received invitation. Regrets delaying JH's dinner. AQ is in the countryside. Asks to be allowed to visit toward the end of the dinner.
Regrets tremendously not being home when JH visited. Wishes to present himself at JH's hotel this evening. Would like to spend tomorrow together. Will discuss translation of Light.
Is pleased to write letter to [G. P.] Dandelin for JH. JH should visit Mr. Van Rees at Liege, for which AQ will also write a letter of introduction. Nevertheless AQ believes JH's name suffices as introduction. If JH visits Namur, he should see the governor of the province, Mr. D'Omolius[?].
Proposes to send telescope to JH to have a new lens made. Desires JH's opinion of the telescope's utility. Is hesitant to join Astronomical Society.
Thinks his telescope was not well executed. Would be pleased if James South tried another. Advises how to improve performance of telescope.
Anxious to hear the opinion of his telescope. Notices best resolution with a 3.5-inch aperture. Also, distinctness is best with correcting lenses in certain diametric position.
Discusses further adjustments for the telescope. If JH returns to England soon, AR will come to Slough with the telescope.
Greetings to Mr. and Mrs. Herschel.
Has requested his friend Thomas Henderson of Edinburgh University to call on JH. Would be pleased if JH can help him in any way.
Encloses notes from years of breakfast conversations with CH's brother William Herschel. Asks JH 'to take the burden of the [Zemata?] M.S. Secretaryship of [sic] my shoulders.' Recalls that JH did the same for 'Mr. Pickering some years ago.' Wishes JH and Margaret a happy new year. CH's notebook [79pp in English] including: necrology of astronomers and mathematicians; notes on plane and spherical geometry; star observations; various tables regarding measurement conversion, planetary systems, geography, and algebra.
Congratulates JH on his marriage to Margaret Brodie Stewart.
Sending a portrait of herself; CH comments that receiving word of JH's marriage made her look 'a dozen years younger all at once.'
Will endeavor to obtain information about the fellowships at St. John's.
Difficulties over his machine. Joseph Clement threatens strike action. Would like to become acquainted with JH's friend. Advice on marriage given.
Regarding the monetary affairs of his sister-in-law. Has had discussions regarding his machine. Has just commenced writing a pamphlet on the state of science in England. Everyone has been asking for JH.
Congratulates him on the cause of his temporary absence from London. Hopes he will reconsider his views on resignation from the offices of the R.S.L. at the end of the year. His resignation from the Glass sub-committee is a compliment to Michael Faraday.
Time is approaching when the new members of council have to be considered. Has JH changed his mind about resigning. Hopes he will continue.
Regrets the R.S.L. is to lose JH's services. Eilhard Mitscherlich has been nominated for a medal on JH's recommendation; can JH give DG some details of Mitscherlich's discoveries?
Regrets to hear of JH's difficulties. Will consult the proprietors and let him know the answer later.
Has met the proprietors of the Cabinet Cyclopaedia. Would JH be agreeable to write an article on Astronomy or Optics, instead of Light? Will approach David Brewster regarding Light.