Correspondence map
Interact with the map by zooming, clicking hotspots, and selecting items to see more details. Hit play on the timeline to show correspondence over time.
John Frederick William Herschel
Mary Somerville
John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart are married in London
3 March 1829

Autograph letter signed by sender. Thanks John Frederick William Herschel for his suggestions for her paper. Will accept any corrections he makes. Sends warm regards to John Frederick William Herschel and his new wife.
31 March 1829 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/327
Autograph letter signed by sender. Wants John Frederick William Herschel to return the last 8-10 pages of her manuscript. She wishes to correct and improve it.
20 October 1829 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/328John 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

Autograph letter signed by sender. Sends 40 pages of her manuscript [Mechanism of the Heavens] along with suggestions for improvement. Suggests clarifying the principles of the first chapter and a fuller explanation of various other principles.
23 February 1830 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/16/329
Autograph letter signed by sender. Thanks John Frederick William Herschel for criticisms of her manuscript. Will outline principles more carefully. Hopes Lady Herschel is 'gaining strength.'
1 March 1830 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/330
Autograph letter signed by sender. Sends first revised pages [of Mary Somerville's Mechanism of the Heavens] back for further opinion. Highly respects John Frederick William Herschel's comments and believes he will be a truthful critic as a friend.
6 March 1830 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/331
Autograph letter signed by sender. Thanks John Frederick William Herschel for his communications. Anxious to get into the proof John Frederick William Herschel criticized. Sends [Joseph] LaGrange's variations of constant quantities.
1830-3-9 or later Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/333
Autograph letter signed by sender. Offers congratulations on arrival of John Frederick William Herschel's first child. Thanks him for communicating his thoughts on her manuscript [Mechanism of the Heavens] at such a time.
5 April 1830 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/335
Autograph letter signed by sender. Sending back part of manuscript [Mechanism of the Heavens] for criticism. Hopes Mrs. Herschel and baby are well.
15 May 1830 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/336
Autograph letter signed by sender. Sends a method of estimating the variations in the elements of orbits during the perturbations in longitude and distance. Used it in manuscript when examining Saturn and Jupiter.
23 October 1830 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/338
Autograph letter signed by sender. Asks John Frederick William Herschel to send the astronomical part of her manuscript [Mechanism of the Heavens] by Mr. Richards on Thursday.
1830 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/339
Autograph letter signed by sender. Used a counter spell to keep the moon at a 'due distance.' Her previous computations were careless. Asks John Frederick William Herschel to return part of her manuscript [Mechanism of the Heavens] for corrections.
1830 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/340
Autograph letter signed by sender. Admires her manuscript [Mechanism of the Heavens]. Wishes [P. S.] Laplace would have lived to see it. Notes a problem with the principle of virtual velocity.
1830-1? Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/16/382
Copy of letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. Sends 40 pages of her manuscript [Mechanism of the Heavens] along with suggestions for improvement. Suggests clarifying the principles of the first chapter and a fuller explanation of various other principles.
23 February 1830 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/21/60
Copy of letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. Sends new translation of [P. S. Laplace's] Mecanique celeste. Says her revision [of Mary Somerville's Mechanism of the Heavens] has been effective. Still doubts the derivation of the fundamental equation. Discusses force, resistance, and reaction with regard to this equation.
9 March 1830 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/21/61
Copy of letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. Says manuscript [Mechanism of the Heavens] cannot be improved materially except perhaps on one or two small points. Will look at it again when it is together in a whole. Announces birth of John Frederick William Herschel's daughter [Caroline] that morning.
31 March 1830 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/21/66
Copy of letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. Will bring her manuscript [Mechanism of the Heavens]. Apologizes for holding it so long. Critiques various passages concerning permanent rotation and equations of stability. Sends condolences on Dr. Somerville's loss.
15 June 1830 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/21/71
Copy of letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. Admires her manuscript [Mechanism of the Heavens]. Wishes [P. S.] Laplace would have lived to see it. Notes a problem with the principle of virtual velocity.
1830-1? Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/25/14/32Mary 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

Signed with sender's name by an amanuensis. Wants to use method of indeterminate coefficients to integrate the differential equations of the planets' perturbations. [Originally written to W. Fairfax.]
11 February 1831 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/341
Autograph letter signed by sender. Needs advice on integrating equations. Praises John Frederick William Herschel's book [Prelim. Discourse]. Says James Mackintosh and [Henry] Hallam also praise it. Note from William Somerville, which needs a reply, is enclosed.
3 March 1831 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/342
Autograph letter signed by sender. Sends preliminary observations that will be prefixed to her book [Mechanism of the Heavens]. Wants John Frederick William Herschel to make any criticisms of it before it is published.
28 May 1831 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/344
Copy of letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. Returns proofs and sends a few remarks concerning them. Discusses difficulty of measuring Eta Coronae. Anxious to see her [Mechanism of the Heavens]. Has another daughter [Isabella].
11 June 1831 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/21/84Sir 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
Birth of Margaret Louisa Herschel, daughter of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart
1834
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
Birth of Alexander Stewart Herschel, son of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart
5 February 1836
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
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.
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
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”
Sir Robert Peel becomes Prime Minister
1841
Birth of Amelia Herschel, daughter of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart
1841
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”

Autograph letter signed by sender. Mary Somerville asks John Frederick William Herschel to tell her where to find his newly published works on the action of light on chemical substances (photography). Rome is not intellectually stimulating. Describes summer in Venice.
12 November 1843 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/347Birth of Matilda Rose Herschel, daughter of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart
1844

Autograph letter signed by sender. John Frederick William Herschel sending papers on his actinochemistry (photography). Discusses [James] Forbes's viscosity theory, nebulae of Southern Hemisphere. Explains his photographic processes Cyanotype and Amphytype and promises to send to Mary Somerville Robert Hunt's upcoming book. Asks Mary Somerville if she can guide someone to testify on functions of De Vico's great refractor at Collegio Romano. The monks at Collegio Romano will not allow Mary Somerville to do it herself. John Frederick William Herschel would trust [William] Somerville judgement. Discusses Lord Rosse's telescopes, and observation of the [De Vico?] comet in Halifax (Nova Scotia), and comments on politics in England.
17 March 1844 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/16/348
Autograph letter signed by sender. Will be in London and hopes to see John Frederick William Herschel. Congratulates on the birth of Matilda Rose Herschel. Thanks for his letter and the promise of sending his papers on actinochemistry (photography). Would also like information on [Louis] Daguerre process and on current developments regarding the subject.
31 July 1844 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/349Sir John Herschel serves as President of the British Association
1845

Autograph letter signed by sender. [Augustus] DeMorgan and [Henry Fox] Talbot are sending their papers to her. John Frederick William Herschel sends her his report on "Atmospheric Waves and Meteorological Districts" [for the British Association]. Family is well. Outlines a process for transferring photographic impressions on paper to glass, as described in the Athenaeum.
1845 ?. Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/16/381
Copy of letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father.. [Augustus] DeMorgan and [Henry Fox] Talbot are sending their papers to her. John Frederick William Herschel sends her his report on "Atmospheric Waves and Meteorological Districts" [for the British Association]. Family is well. Outlines a process for transferring photographic impressions on paper to glass, as described in the Athenaeum.
1845 ?. Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/25/14/4Birth 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

Autograph letter signed by sender. Mary Somerville is delighted that her experiments were read at Royal Society. Encouraged to resume her experiments [on actinochemistry (photography]. Discuss family matter, the discovery of new planet [Neptune], and the future. Asks about John Frederick William Herschel's current work on astronomy and if he resumed his experimentation [on actinochemistry (photography)].
23 February 1846 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/353Sir 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.

Autograph letter signed by sender. Has noticed a resemblance between [Alexander von Humboldt's] Kosmos and Mary Somerville's chapter, 'On Man,' in her manuscript. Advises her to revise. Sends results of observations at the Cape.
8 August 1847 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/16/354
Copy of letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. Has noticed a resemblance between [Alexander von Humboldt's] Kosmos and Mary Somerville's chapter, 'On Man,' in her manuscript. Advises her to revise. Sends results of observations at the Cape.
8 August 1847 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/22/324The 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
Sir John Herschel publishes Outlines of Astronomy.
1849
Sir John Herschel is appointed Master of the Mint
1850
Sir John Herschel serves as juror of the Great Exhibition
1851

Autograph letter signed by sender. 1852 was eventful for the Herschels and John Frederick William Herschel. 1853 has started peacefully. John Frederick William Herschel does "nothing whatever of a scientific kind. And the world does not therefore stand still". Comments on the discussion around "turning tables" [in Spiritualism], finds it ridiculous.
30 May 1853 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/16/357
Copy of a letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. 1852 was eventful for the Herschels and John Frederick William Herschel. 1853 has started peacefully. John Frederick William Herschel does "nothing whatever of a scientific kind. And the world does not therefore stand still". Comments on the discussion around "turning tables" [in Spiritualism], finds it ridiculous.
30 May 1853 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/23/134Birth 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

Autograph letter signed by sender. Needs help understanding Percades [?] quantity. Inquires as to well-being of family and sends regards.
17 April 1856 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/358
Autograph letter signed by sender. Thanks John Frederick William Herschel for critiquing her paper during his illness. Mary Somerville's On the Connexion of the Physical Sciences is to be published in translation at Cesna.
14 April 1857 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/359
Autograph letter signed by sender. Feeling better, but writing still painful. Writing articles on meteorology and geology for Encyclopaedia Britannica. May use information from her Physical Geography.
20 January 1858 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/16/360
Autograph letter signed by sender. Lists facts from various astronomical catalogues, such as the number of fixed, double, and binary stars. Discusses parallax. Thanks her for second edition of Physical Geography.
28 February 1858 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/16/361
Autograph letter signed by sender. Enjoyed visit of Louisa [Herschel Marshall]. Wants copies of John Frederick William Herschel's new articles. Is witnessing a solar eclipse, in which half the disc was covered, as she writes.
15 March 1858 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/362
Copy of a letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. Feeling better, but writing still painful. Writing articles on meteorology and geology for Encyclopaedia Britannica. May use information from her Physical Geography.
20 January 1858 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/23/217
Copy of a letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. Lists facts from various astronomical catalogues, such as the number of fixed, double, and binary stars. Discusses parallax. Thanks her for second edition of Physical Geography.
28 February 1858 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/23/224Sir 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.

Autograph letter signed by sender. Thanks John Frederick William Herschel for scientific papers. Is writing about relations between inorganic matter, physical and vital forces, and microscopic plants. Praises [Giuseppe] Garibaldi and his performance.
21 September 1860 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/363Death 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

Autograph letter signed by sender. Condolences on death of John Frederick William Herschel's daughter [Margaret] Louisa.
28 January 1861 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/364
Autograph letter signed by sender. Thanks Mary Somerville for sympathy letter. Discusses present situation in Italy. Discusses his children and their scattered locations, e.g., a son fighting in the Indigo affair. Discusses his articles for Encyclopaedia Britannica.
12 April 1861 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/16/365
Copy of a letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. Thanks Mary Somerville for sympathy letter. Discusses present situation in Italy. Discusses his children and their scattered locations, e.g., a son fighting in the Indigo affair. Discusses his articles for Encyclopaedia Britannica.
12 April 1861 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/23/328
Autograph letter signed by sender. Cannot travel to London. Wishes she could return to her country and friends. Thankful for her health. Wants Herschels to visit Italy.
11 May 1862 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/366
Autograph letter signed by sender. Has begun to write about science again after a long absence. Intended to revise small part of her On the Connexion of the Physical Sciences, but it became quite long. Wants John Frederick William Herschel's advice on it.
13 June 1863 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/367
Autograph letter signed by sender. Introduces Signore Capellini, professor of geology at Bologna, to John Frederick William Herschel in letter. Asks John Frederick William Herschel to assist him in any way possible.
12 July 1863 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/368
Autograph letter signed by sender. Is sending manuscript with comments. Congratulates her 'activity of mind.' Critiqued her paper according to the effect it will have when published. Working on catalogue of nebulae.
30 July 1863 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/16/369
Autograph letter signed by sender. Thanks John Frederick William Herschel for criticism of manuscript. Sends revised introductory paragraph. Thanks him for kindness to Signore Capellini. Scientific interest in Italy grows as politics settle.
25 August 1863 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/371
Autograph letter signed by sender. Comments on the political change within Italy. Answers questions about spectrum analysis, spectra of nebulae, and [solar] 'willow leaves.' Says the view of universe as a collection of billiard balls is problematic. Includes postscript from John Frederick William Herschel's daughter Bella describing family events.
11 April 1865 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/16/372
Copy of letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. Comments on the political change within Italy. Answers questions about spectrum analysis, spectra of nebulae, and [solar] 'willow leaves.' Says the view of universe as a collection of billiard balls is problematic. Includes postscript from John Frederick William Herschel's daughter Bella describing family events.
11 April 1865 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/24/104Sir John Herschel publishes his translation of Homer’s Iliad
1866

Autograph letter signed by sender. Thanks him for papers he sent. Has finished her last work. Disappointed that science is often devoted to war and weaponry.
6 September 1866 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/373
Autograph letter signed by sender. Thanks for correcting proof sheets. Discusses John Frederick William Herschel's and [William] Grove's views on correlating physical forces. Tends to trust John Frederick William Herschel's views.
23 October 1866 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/374Sir John Herschel publishes Familiar Lectures on Scientific Subjects
1867
Benjamin Disraeli becomes Prime Minister
1 February 1868
William Gladstone becomes Prime Minister
1 December 1868

Autograph letter signed by sender. Thanks John Frederick William Herschel for saving her from publishing a fault-filled book. Describes eruptions of Vesuvius. Agnes [Greig] enjoyed visiting the Herschels. Mary Somerville wishes she could see them again.
12 March 1868 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/375
Autograph letter signed by sender. Congratulations on fine Dante translation. Met [John] Tyndall and enjoyed his company. Has made several changes in her book [Molecular and Microscopic Science]. Is 'quite well for her age.'
26 June 1868 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/376
Autograph letter signed by sender. Congratulations on marriage of John Frederick William Herschel's daughter [Amelia]. Is writing her autobiography. Interested in solar eclipses, and says more will be known through photography and spectrum analysis.
26 September 1868 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/377Jules Verne serializes Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea
1869: (Vingt Mille Lieues sous les Mers)

Copy letter in John Herschel's hand. Commentary on manuscript [Personal Recollections?] that [Mary Somerville] sent to John Frederick William Herschel one month ago. Career of scientific learning and domestic happiness will inspire future generations. Suggests publishing it posthumously for greater impact. Corrects passages about Charles Babbage. Gives purpose, history, and membership of each of two Standards committees, one of 1819 and one of 1838. Suggests avoiding topic of bitter controversy over invention of electric telegraph. Sends regards from Lady Herschel and "one youngest of our numerous girls who though not so happy as to be personally known to you are full of admiration and enjoyment of many of your work".
14 March 1869 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/16/378
Autograph letter signed by sender. Has made the changes John Frederick William Herschel suggested. Autobiography will be published posthumously. Met [Henry W.] Longfellow. Wishes the Herschels would visit because it might improve John Frederick William Herschel's health.
23 March 1869 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/379
Autograph letter signed by sender. Sends Christmas greetings to family. Still has her intellect and is staying busy. Thanks Margaret Brodie Herschel for visiting Agnes [Greig].
18 December 1869 Sender: Mary Somerville Reference number: HS/16/380
Copy of letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. Commentary on manuscript [Personal Recollections?] that [Mary Somerville] sent to John Frederick William Herschel one month ago. Career of scientific learning and domestic happiness will inspire future generations. Suggests publishing it posthumously for greater impact. Corrects passages about Charles Babbage. Gives purpose, history, and membership of each of two Standards committees, one of 1819 and one of 1838. Suggests avoiding topic of bitter controversy over invention of electric telegraph.
14 March 1869 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/24/251
Copy of a letter. Attached comments [not included] convey John Frederick William Herschel's views on Mary Somerville's new manuscript [On Molecular and Microscopical Science, 1869]. Expresses reservations about Mary Somerville's endorsement of current ideas of forces and their correlation and conservation.
30 July 1869 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/24/275