Correspondence map
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David Brewster
John Frederick William Herschel
Autograph letter signed by sender. Would like William Herschel's son, John Frederick William Herschel, to write some articles for his Edinburgh Encyclopaedia. Would he help him on an article entitled 'Stars'?
11 June 1817 Sender: David Brewster Reference number: HS/4/241
Autograph letter signed by sender. Is pleased that he will write articles for his Edinburgh Encyclopaedia. Would like him to write one on 'Stars.'
7 July 1817 Sender: David Brewster Reference number: HS/4/242
Copy of a letter. Agrees to write several articles on mathematics, and one on astronomy based on William Herschel's work.
19 June 1817 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/20/45
Copy of a letter. Sends one mathematical article on isoperimetrical problems and asks to write the article on variations as well.
8 August 1817 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/20/48
1818
Mary Shelley publishes Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus
1818
Autograph letter signed by sender. There has been a delay in printing so will not require his articles until later. Will be in London in the near future and would like to see him.
10 May 1818 Sender: David Brewster Reference number: HS/4/243
Copy of a letter. Further about additional mathematical articles for the Edinburgh Encyclopaedia; comments on David Brewster's intention to start a new 'superior' science journal.
20 November 1818 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/20/58
1819
John Frederick William Herschel serves on the Board of Longitude
1819
Autograph letter signed by sender. Is anxious to receive his article on hyposulfurous acid as the volume is almost ready for the printer.
14 July 1819 Sender: David Brewster Reference number: HS/4/244
Autograph letter signed by sender. Has heard from Charles Babbage that John Frederick William Herschel has sent him the article on hyposulfurous acid, but he has not in fact received it. Has seen Babbage a lot recently. Candidates for the Mathematical chair. Regarding colored rings in Carbonate of Potash. Has reserved his paper on Series for number 3.
22 August 1819 Sender: David Brewster Reference number: HS/4/245
Autograph letter signed by sender. Regarding refraction in various crystals and comparison with Newton's tables. Suggests a joint paper on the subject. His parcel has never arrived. Is working on a paper on rotating phenomena.
18 September 1819 Sender: David Brewster Reference number: HS/4/246
Autograph letter signed by sender. Thanks for letter. Would he send his paper to [William?] Blackwood. Thinks it only fair that John Frederick William Herschel's first paper on light should be written on his own, providing he acknowledges his discoveries. Comments on recent experiments. Who has written the article on polarization in the recent Edinburgh Review?
4 October 1819 Sender: David Brewster Reference number: HS/4/247
Autograph letter signed by sender. Has received his papers on hyposulfurous acid and Mother of Pearl. Comments regarding latter. Agreement necessary on nomenclature for light. His own and J. B. Biot's experiments on light. Would John Frederick William Herschel read his paper of 1818 and comment on it.
5 November 1819 Sender: David Brewster Reference number: HS/4/248
Draft letter. Sends paper on deviation of tints. Comments on findings. Encloses crystals of carbonate of lime, which exhibits the system of rings. Regarding his own paper on Mother of Pearl and his indebtedness to David Brewster. Comments on nomenclature for light.
24 November 1819 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/4/249
Autograph letter signed by sender. Thanks for letters. Regarding printing of his papers. Would like to propose him Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Biot's law. Much obliged for his opinion respecting E. L. Malus. Thanks for crystal of carbonate of lime. Comments on this.
9 December 1819 Sender: David Brewster Reference number: HS/4/250
Draft letter. Regarding terminology for polarization and refraction of light. David Brewster's statement concerning the experiments of E. L. Malus and light through crystals.
November 1819 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/4/273
Copy of a letter. Note to accompany the sending of some papers; John Frederick William Herschel is off to Paris.
11 January 1819 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/20/63
Copy of a letter. Some additions to an article submitted about hyposulfurous acid; comments on work by J. B. Biot on polarization and double refraction of crystals.
15 May 1819 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/20/70
Copy of a letter. Sends a paper on mother of pearl; apologizes for confused state of paper on hyposulfurous acid.
14 July 1819 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/20/71
Copy of a letter. Thanks for, and comments on, David Brewster's 1819-9-18.
30 September 1819 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/20/74
Copy of draft letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. Sends paper on deviation of tints. Comments on findings. Encloses crystals of carbonate of lime, which exhibits the system of rings. Regarding his own paper on Mother of Pearl and his indebtedness to David Brewster. Comments on nomenclature for light.
24 November 1819 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/20/76
Copy of a letter. Accepts, with thanks, David Brewster's offer to propose John Frederick William Herschel for membership in the Royal Society of Edinburgh; some comments on David Brewster's 1819-12-9.
15 December 1819 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/20/79
Copy of a letter. Sends signed certificate for admission to Royal Society of Edinburgh; the Cambridge Philosophical Society has just been formed.
17 December 1819 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/20/80
1820
John Frederick William Herschel publishes in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society.
1820: John Frederick William Herschel publishes “On the action of crystallized bodies on homogeneous light, and on the causes of the deviation from Newton's scale in the tints which many of them develope on exposure to a polarised ray” .
John Frederick William Herschel serves his first term as Foreign Secretary of the Royal Astronomical Society
1820
Autograph letter signed by sender. Thanks for the extract of his paper. Comments on this and his own discoveries on the polarization of light. His fees for the articles will pay his subscription to the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
11 February 1820 Sender: David Brewster Reference number: HS/4/251
Contemporary copy of a letter. Sending all his papers on the deviations of tints, suitably amended to give David Brewster due acknowledgement. Queries regarding some of David Brewster's statements. Supports his theories in a new paper he has written for the Cambridge Philosophical Society.
19 April 1820 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/4/252
Partial draft letter with significant corrections. Queries regarding some of David Brewster's statements. Supports his theories in a new paper he has written for the Cambridge Philosophical Society.
19 April 1820 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/4/253
Memoranda of letter, in Herschel's hand. Notes on Brewster's letter from 11 February 1820. Presented as extracts and answers, marked A. Discusses the theories on deviations of tints, and optics in crystals. Relates to paper published for the Cambridge Philosophical Society.
19 April 1820 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/4/254
Copy of a letter. Arrangements for paying dues to the Royal Society of Edinburgh; some comments about light passing through crystals.
30 January 1820 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/20/82
Copy of a letter. Clarifies areas of disagreement with David Brewster in John Frederick William Herschel's explanation of the results of colored tints of light passing through polarizing crystals.
3 February 1820 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/20/84
Copy of letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. Sending all his papers on the deviations of tints, suitably amended to give David Brewster due acknowledgement. Queries regarding some of David Brewster's statements. Supports his theories in a new paper he has written for the Cambridge Philosophical Society. Includes graphs
19 April 1820 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/20/90
1821
John Frederick William Herschel and Charles Babbage travel through France to Italy and Switzerland.
1821
John Frederick William Herschel publishes in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society.
1821:
John Frederick William Herschel publishes “On the aberrations of compound lenses and object-glasses" in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society.
John Frederick William Herschel receives the Copley Medal of the Royal Society for his papers printed in the Philosophical Transactions
1821
1822
Death of Sir William Herschel FRS
25 August 1822
Autograph letter signed by sender. It has been a long time since he last heard from him. Very busy with professional pursuits. Congratulations on receiving the Copley medal. Would like an abstract of his article on aberrations in chromatic lenses. Comments on this.
28 January 1822 Sender: David Brewster Reference number: HS/4/255
Autograph letter signed by sender. Has been unable to answer his letters due to the King's visit. Refrained from writing on hearing of the death of W. Herschel. His paper on the absorption of light will appear in the next number of the Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Comments on this. Grateful for any astronomical news. Advice welcomed on memoir of W. Herschel.
12 October 1822 Sender: David Brewster Reference number: HS/4/256
Copy of a letter. Sends circular of F. W. Bessel's 'Declinations.' Sent paper on 25 July for Royal Society of Edinburgh, similar to David Brewster's paper outlined in previous issue [of Edinburgh Journal of Science]. Argues for continuity of color spectrum versus 'per saltum' transitions.
7 August 1822 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/19/27
Copy of a letter. Accompanies a paper John Frederick William Herschel was submitting to the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Discusses motion of light rays in Apophyllite and various optical writings of David Brewster.
24 July 1822 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/20/148
Copy of a letter. Sends circular of F. W. Bessel's 'Declinations.' Sent paper on 25 July for Royal Society of Edinburgh, similar to David Brewster's paper outlined in previous issue [of Edinburgh Journal of Science]. Argues for continuity of color spectrum versus 'per saltum' transitions.
7 August 1822 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/20/150
1823
John Frederick William Herschel receives the Bakerian Medal of the Royal Society.
1823:
John Frederick William Herschel gives the Bakerian lecture “On certain Motions produced in Fluid Conductors when transmitting the Electric Current”.
Draft letter. Sends an abstract of his paper on observations relating to the practical construction of telescopes [John Frederick William Herschel's 'Practical Rules,' 1822]. Would like 25 copies for distribution. His recent experiments with polarized light.
1823 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/4/272
Copy of a letter. Some comments on sun spots based on William Herschel's ideas; considering a collection of William Herschel's writings but publishers not interested.
17 February 1823 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/20/161
Copy of a letter. Forwarding to David Brewster, through Hans Christian Oersted, a paper on caloric by Marc Seguin.
23 June 1823 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/20/164
Copy of a letter. Some comments on observations by Continental observers; matters related to sending books and papers.
29 November 1823 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/20/169
Copy of draft letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. Sends an abstract of his paper on observations relating to the practical construction of telescopes [John Frederick William Herschel's 'Practical Rules,' 1822]. Would like 25 copies for distribution. His recent experiments with polarized light.
1823 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/25/13/17
1824
John Frederick William Herschel moves to 56 Devonshire St., Portland Place, London
1824
John Frederick William Herschel serves as Secretary of the Royal Society
30 November 1824
Autograph letter signed by sender. Regarding the change of ownership and policy of the Edinburgh Philosophical Journal. Would like a paper from him for the first number. Marked 'Private.'
13 March 1824 Sender: David Brewster Reference number: HS/4/257
Copy of letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. John Frederick William Herschel's theory of colors. Edward Troughton has David Brewster's instrument one-third completed. When will David Brewster want John Frederick William Herschel's encyclopedia article on 'Variation'?
31 January 1824 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/20/174
Copy of letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. John Frederick William Herschel's theory of colors. Edward Troughton has David Brewster's instrument one-third completed. When will David Brewster want John Frederick William Herschel's encyclopedia article on 'Variation'?
31 January 1824 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/20/175
Copy of a letter. Praises old Edinburgh Philosophical Journal. Promises to send David Brewster some materials for publication.
27 November 1824 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/20/190
1825
John Frederick William Herschel invents the actinometer to measure the heating power of the Sun’s rays
1825
Draft letter. Has received copies of reprints from Lyell. Points out errors in a printed paper of his. Has been unwell and very busy of late. Would like to add David Brewster's name to the Optical Glass Committee.
28 November 1825 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/4/258
Autograph letter signed by sender. Regarding corrections requested by John Frederick William Herschel in a printed article. Ill health and overwork applies to him also. Pleased to hear of the work of the Optical Glass Committee. Comments on this.
2 December 1825 Sender: David Brewster Reference number: HS/4/259
Copy of draft letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. Has received copies of reprints from Lyell. Points out errors in a printed paper of his. Has been unwell and very busy of late. Would like to add David Brewster's name to the Optical Glass Committee.
28 November 1825 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/20/225
1826
John Frederick William Herschel publishes in the Philosophical Transactions
1826:
John Frederick William Herschel publishes “On the parallax of the fixed stars”.
1827
Joseph Nicéphore Niépce presents his photographs in England for the first time
1827
Autograph letter signed by sender. Would have answered his last letter sooner but has been confined to his house. Encloses specimen of calcareous spar. Has in the past carried out many experiments on this substance. Is he satisfied with a statement in the Optical Glass report? Missing Transactions for the library.
7 May 1827 Sender: David Brewster Reference number: HS/4/260
Copy of a letter. Asks David Brewster to sign a certificate for the candidature of William Ritchie for admission to Royal Society [of London]
25 January 1827 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/20/247
1828
Autograph letter signed by sender. Thanks for paper on light, which he has only just read as it was mislaid. Grateful for the acknowledgement of his scientific labors. Comments and queries regarding the paper in the light of his own experiments. Wishes to reprint parts of it so would be grateful for several plates.
6 December 1828 Sender: David Brewster Reference number: HS/4/261
Copy of a letter. Sending David Brewster a draft of a paper; comments on quality of a chromatic lens (that of [Charles] Tulley's telescope using Pierre Guinand's glass).
21 May 1828 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/21/11
1829
John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart are married in London
3 March 1829
1830
John Frederick William Herschel is elected Foreign correspondent of the Académie des sciences
1830
Birth of Caroline Emilia Mary Herschel, daughter of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart
31 March 1830
John Frederick William Herschel is nominated for the presidency of the Royal Society, loses by 8 votes to the Duke of Sussex
30 November 1830
1831
Mary Somerville publishes Mechanism of the Heavens
1831
Sir John Herschel is created Knight of the Royal Hanoverian Guelphic Order
1831
Sir John Herschel publishes Preliminary Discourse on the Study of Natural Philosophy as part of Dionysius Lardner’s Cabinet Cyclopaedia.
1831
Birth of Isabella Herschel, daughter of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart
5 June 1831
Autograph letter signed by sender. Regarding John Frederick William Herschel's letter concerning an anonymous article, which appeared in the Edinburgh Review and was actually by David Brewster himself.
1 December 1831 Sender: David Brewster Reference number: HS/4/262
Autograph letter signed by sender. Further regarding his recent statements. Concerning John Frederick William Herschel's non-use of F.R.S. in his work.
17 December 1831 Sender: David Brewster Reference number: HS/4/263
Contemporary copy in sender's hand, signed by sender. In an article commenting on a pamphlet about the alleged decline of science in England, John Frederick William Herschel's name has frequently been taken in vain. John Frederick William Herschel writes to protest.
25 November 1831 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/25/2/28
Contemporary copy in sender's hand, signed by sender. Wants to ensure that a letter of John Frederick William Herschel's on the decline of science controversy is to be published in Brewster's journal.
25 November 1831 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/25/2/30
Contemporary copy in sender's hand, signed by sender. Having now learned that the offensive article in the Edinburgh Review was by David Brewster [see David Brewster's 1831-12-1], John Frederick William Herschel writes in surprise that David Brewster could have written what he did, and requests that John Frederick William Herschel's letter [see John Frederick William Herschel's 1831-11-25] be returned unpublished. John Frederick William Herschel will decide how to proceed.
8 December 1831 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/25/3/1
1832
Draft letter with significant revisions. Is pleased with Mr. Johnston's reply. Regarding a figure used by John Frederick William Herschel in his paper and its true significance. Is not certain yet whether to join the B.A.A.S.
1 January 1832 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/4/264
Autograph letter signed by sender. Is pleased with Mr. Johnston's reply. Regarding a figure used by John Frederick William Herschel in his paper and its true significance. Is not certain yet whether to join the B.A.A.S.
1 January 1832 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/4/265
Autograph letter signed by sender. His son is shortly traveling to Calcutta and will be able to take any letter or parcel for Mr. Calder.
7 June 1832 Sender: David Brewster Reference number: HS/4/266
Autograph letter signed by sender. Regarding his request for John Frederick William Herschel's support for his candidature for the chair of Natural Philosophy at Edinburgh University. Reasons why he thinks John Frederick William Herschel should give him a testimonial.
19 November 1832 Sender: David Brewster Reference number: HS/4/267
Draft letter. Regarding David Brewster's views on support for John Frederick William Herschel in the presidency of the Royal Society [of London]
November 1832 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/4/271
Copy of draft letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. Is pleased with Mr. Johnston's reply. Regarding a figure used by John Frederick William Herschel in his paper and its true significance. Is not certain yet whether to join the B.A.A.S.
1 January 1832 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/21/98
Copy of a letter. Excusing John Frederick William Herschel for returning to Slough suddenly before leaving for Hanover.
8 June 1832 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/21/111
Copy of draft letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. Regarding David Brewster's views on support for John Frederick William Herschel in the presidency of the Royal Society [of London]
November 1832 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/25/13/16
1833
Sir John Herschel receives the Royal Medal from the Royal Society
1833:
The Medal is awarded "For his paper on nebulae and clusters of stars, published in the Philosophical Transactions for 1833."
Sir John Herschel publishes A treatise on astronomy as part of Dionysius Lardner’s Cabinet Cyclopaedia.
1833
Birth of William James Herschel, son of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart
1833
Sir John Herschel departs for South Africa with his wife and their three children
13 November 1833
1834
Birth of Margaret Louisa Herschel, daughter of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart
1834
1835
Sir John Herschel serves as President of the Literary and Philosophical Society of the Cape of Good Hope
1835
Halley’s comet becomes visible
28 November 1835
1836
Birth of Alexander Stewart Herschel, son of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart
5 February 1836
1837
Victoria becomes Queen of the United Kingdom
20 June 1837
Birth of John Herschel, son of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart
29 October 1837
1838
Sir John Herschel returns from South Africa
1838: A banquet in presence of Queen Victoria is given to celebrate his return to Britain and made a Baronet.
1839
Sir John Herschel serves his first term as President of the Royal Astronomical Society
1839: to 1841
Birth of Maria Sophia Herschel, daughter of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart
1839
William Henry Fox Talbot presents his paper-based photographic process at the Royal Society
1839
1840
Sir John Herschel publishes in the Philosophical Transactions
1840: Sir John Herschel publishes “On the chemical action of the rays of the solar spectrum on preparations of silver and other substances, both metallic and non-metallic; and on some photographic processes”
1841
Sir Robert Peel becomes Prime Minister
1841
Birth of Amelia Herschel, daughter of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart
1841
1842
Birth of Julia Herschel, daughter of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart
1842
Sir John Herschel publishes in the Philosophical Transactions
1842: Sir John Herschel publishes “On the action of the rays of the solar spectrum on vegetable colours, and on some new photographic processes”
1844
Birth of Matilda Rose Herschel, daughter of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart
1844
1845
Sir John Herschel serves as President of the British Association
1845
1846
Birth of Francisca Herschel, daughter of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart
1846
Sir John Herschel serves his second term as Foreign Secretary of the Royal Astronomical Society
1846: To 1847
1847
Sir John Herschel serves his second term as President of the Royal Astronomical Society
1847: Until 1849
Sir John Herschel receives the Copley Medal
1847: Sir John Herschel receives the Copley Medal of the Royal Society "For his work entitled Results of Astronomical Observations made during the years 1834, 1835, 1836, 1837 and 1838, at the Cape of Good Hope; being a completion of a telescopic survey of the whole surface of the visible heavens, commenced in 1825"
Sir John Herschel publishes a paper
1847: Sir John Herschel publishes Results of astronomical observations made during the years 1834, 5, 6, 7, 8, at the Cape of Good Hope; being a completion of a telescopic survey of the whole surface of the visible heavens, commenced in 1825.
1848
The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood is formed, by John Everett Millais, Dante Gabriel Rosetti and others
1848
Napoleon III is elected first President of France
20 December 1848
1849
Sir John Herschel publishes Outlines of Astronomy.
1849
1850
Sir John Herschel is appointed Master of the Mint
1850
1851
Sir John Herschel serves as juror of the Great Exhibition
1851
1855
Birth of Constance Anne Herschel, daughter of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart
1855
Sir John Herschel is elected Foreign Associate of the Institut de France
1855
Sir John Herschel resigns from his position as Master of the Mint
1855
1860
Sir John Herschel publishes in the Proceedings of the Royal Society
1860: Sir John Herschel publishes some “Remarks on colour-blindness" extracted from a referee report on Pole’s paper on the same subject.
1861
Death of Margaret Louisa Marshall, née Herschel, daughter of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart
1861
William Morris established the decorative design firm of Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Company (later Morris & Company)
1861
Charles Dickens publishes Great Expectations as a three-volume book
1861
Sir John Herschel publishes Physical Geography as part of the Encyclopaedia Britannica.
1861
Abraham Lincoln begins his term as President of the United States
4 March 1861
1865
Autograph letter signed by sender. Is sending an unpublished pamphlet on dioptric lights and would be glad of his opinions as he is claiming public recognition.
3 March 1865 Sender: David Brewster Reference number: HS/4/268
Draft letter. Thanks for his letter regarding the dioptric lights. Gives his own views as to their importance.
9 March 1865 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/4/269
Copy of draft letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. Thanks for his letter regarding the dioptric lights. Gives his own views as to their importance.
9 March 1865 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/24/100
1866
Sir John Herschel publishes his translation of Homer’s Iliad
1866
1867
Sir John Herschel publishes Familiar Lectures on Scientific Subjects
1867
