Thanks JH for communication to the [Cambridge Philosophical] Society. States the reactions of Cambridge faculty to the society. Gives dates for next meetings.
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 JH for communication to the [Cambridge Philosophical] Society. States the reactions of Cambridge faculty to the society. Gives dates for next meetings.
States that the [Cambridge Philosophical Society] meeting went well. Charges against council were proven unfounded with the help of a letter from [Webster?]. James Cumming has been experimenting with magneticogalvanic phenomena.
Discusses study of Oolite beds. Mother recently died. Will bring paper to publisher. Discusses last Cambridge Philosophical Society meeting, [James] Wood, and [E. D.] Clarke. Cannot locate the crystal JH requested.
Although not known to JH, is writing under the auspices of Charles Babbage. Sends various works. Has honor of having proposed JH as correspondent to Royal Academy of Science of Brussels, unanimously supported. Would JH please seriously consider?
Asks where AQ can procure best instruments in England. Desires to view the interiors of English observatories. Wishes to have [Alexis] Bouvard, who is in need of a change of scene after [P. S.] Laplace's death, accompany him. Sees translations of English scientific works, especially JH's, as a desirable project.
Has missed seeing JH, who must be in the countryside with [Charles] Babbage. Hopes to see JH and ask advice for observatory at Brussels.
Thanks JH for letter. Regrets having missed possibility of seeing JH while in England. Asks JH to convince [Charles] Babbage to pass through Brussels instead of Rotterdam.
Translation of JH's article Light begun. Publisher is in Paris. Gives name of collaborator as [P. F.] Verhulst. Has heard of others translating JH's work. As director of Brussels observatory, AQ needs best works of astronomy. Would JH help?
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[?].
Invitation to dine with them; Sir Walter Scott is expected as well.
Invitation to spend the morning with them on the day they are expecting Sir Walter Scott.
Further invitation to breakfast with them and Sir Walter Scott.
Regrets to hear of the poor health of Sir William Herschel. Would like a few lines of Sir William's handwriting for his autograph collection.
Left his job because of precarious health. Is retired. Discusses achromatic telescopes and his ideas for correcting spherical and chromatic aberrations.
Sends copy of his account of the achromatic telescope because JH did not receive the original. Constructing an achromatic telescope of 5-foot focal length.
Recently received telescope from the optician. Some adjustments are necessary. [Robert] Blair has a similar idea regarding telescopes. Asks JH to mention his idea to the Astronomical Society.
Gives permission to release his telescope proposal to others. Discusses the progress of the telescope. Considers modifying the arrangement of lenses.
Asks JH to report how James South's telescope performs. There was a defect in the settings of the telescope. Hopes JH's method of eliminating chromatic aberration improves the microscope.