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The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Correspondence Explorer

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Showing 45 letters from 1820–1829

36 letters from Thomas Young; 9 letters from John Frederick William Herschel

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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. Gives diagram and explanation of Thomas Young's reduced parallax. John Frederick William Herschel's formula is elaborate but complicated. Thomas Young's formula is less exact but easier for public to use. Welcomes criticism.

Reference number: HS/18/351
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

Autograph letter signed by sender. Board of Longitude will meet on 3 Jan. to examine instruments and proposals, and to consider Fearon Fallows's report from Cape of Good Hope.

Reference number: HS/18/320
1822

Death of Sir William Herschel FRS

25 August 1822

Autograph letter signed by sender. Board of Longitude reluctant to pay for new building at James South's unless South and John Frederick William Herschel agree to place their observations at Board's disposal.

Reference number: HS/18/321

Autograph letter signed by sender, with annotations by recipient. Next meeting of Board of Longitude.

Reference number: HS/18/322

Autograph letter signed by sender. Fears John Frederick William Herschel misunderstood Thomas Young's remark about the injustice of James South's accusation regarding Nautical Almanac. Thomas Young was not trying to provoke South's hostility. Sends 'Schumacher's No. 10' for John Frederick William Herschel's perusal.

Reference number: HS/18/323

Autograph letter signed by sender. Asks John Frederick William Herschel to check accuracy of Nautical Almanac entry for Jupiter's satellites III and IV on 20 Aug. 1819. Thanks for John Frederick William Herschel's note, but tell James South 'he is bound to give his reasons....'

Reference number: HS/18/324

Autograph letter signed by sender. Has no errands for John Frederick William Herschel in Holland or Flanders. Asks for details on John Frederick William Herschel's and Charles Babbage's method of determining heights by barometrical observations. Hopes to use this to confirm Thomas Young's method by 'my formula deduced from refraction.'

Reference number: HS/18/325

Copy of a letter. Leaving for two weeks in Netherlands.

Reference number: HS/19/24
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”.

Autograph letter signed by sender. Board of Longitude will meet at Thomas Young's home on Saturday.

Reference number: HS/18/326

Autograph letter signed by sender. Sends papers for the Royal Astronomical Society and A. J. Fresnel's papers. Modifies analogy of infinite pipes to clarify Thomas Young's hypothesis of three principal colors. Charles Babbage sent survey of Mont Cenis. Can John Frederick William Herschel find its barometrical observations?

Reference number: HS/18/352
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. Repeat computation for Jupiter's satellite IV [see Thomas Young's 1824-4]. Explains W. H. Wollaston's 'blue bow.' See figure 422 of Thomas Young's [Lectures on Natural Philosophy].

Reference number: HS/18/327

Autograph letter signed by sender. As Royal Society [of London] vice president, John Frederick William Herschel should reconsider his report favoring Eilhard Mitscherlich over W. H. Wollaston. This may be last opportunity to pay Wollaston a 'just compliment.' Agrees with John Frederick William Herschel that much in Royal Society [of London] 'nicknamed science [is] sleight of hand,' and that 'great injustice is done to men of science.' But Thomas Young expects a short life and tries not to be concerned about approval of others.

Reference number: HS/18/328

Autograph letter signed by sender. Thomas Young would rather have John Frederick William Herschel's labor made useful another year. W. H. Wollaston does not want [Royal] medal, but medal wants Wollaston. One council member felt that Thomas Young's remarks offended John Frederick William Herschel. Assures John Frederick William Herschel it was not intended.

Reference number: HS/18/329

Contemporary copy in sender's hand, signed by sender. Thanks Thomas Young for books and for taking charge of [G. A. A.] Plana's plates. John Frederick William Herschel mentioned Eilhard Mitscherlich only when no other proposals came forth. Matter was left hanging. Assures Thomas Young that John Frederick William Herschel was not offended [see Thomas Young's 1824-11-21, i.e., #1075]. Regrets 'dilapidated state of scientific matters' in Royal Society [of London]

Reference number: HS/18/330

Autograph letter signed by sender. Math is flimsy in John Dalton's theory of vapor dispersion, but physical grounds are firm. Sends copy of Thomas Young's volume on sound. Modules of elasticity and tension are analogies to explain Thomas Young's doctrine. Presently studying modules of elasticity that do not apply to chimney pipes investigated by Daniel Bernoulli and J. H. Lambert.

Reference number: HS/18/331

Autograph letter signed by sender. John Frederick William Herschel is correct, and Thomas Young's 'little man is wrong.' Moon's apparent angular motion increases as spectator moves closer.

Reference number: HS/18/355

Copy of letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. Thanks Thomas Young for books and for taking charge of [G. A. A.] Plana's plates. John Frederick William Herschel mentioned Eilhard Mitscherlich only when no other proposals came forth. Matter was left hanging. Assures Thomas Young that John Frederick William Herschel was not offended [see Thomas Young's 1824-11-21, i.e., #1075]. Regrets 'dilapidated state of scientific matters' in Royal Society [of London]

Reference number: HS/20/176
1825

John Frederick William Herschel invents the actinometer to measure the heating power of the Sun’s rays

1825

Contemporary copy in sender's hand. Edward Sabine declares that Royal Society [of London] is hostile to Edward Sabine's interests. If Edward Sabine makes future claim for compensation, John Frederick William Herschel wants Thomas Young's opinion in writing. Need to order four night glasses for Fairlight Station. Encloses letter from [Richard] Copeland.

Reference number: HS/18/332

Autograph letter signed by sender. Ask Charles Babbage to send tables of logarithms to Thomas Young, who will compare them to [Brook] Taylor's. Bets that five errors will be found. Did John Frederick William Herschel order mountain barometer from [J. F.] Newman? Will inquire about [W. E.] Parry's instruments. Admiralty, not us, should order sextants.

Reference number: HS/18/333

Autograph letter signed by sender. Questions John Frederick William Herschel's conclusion that Board of Longitude has power to interfere in Admiralty operations. Disagrees that Nautical Almanac errors are serious. Compares them to tables of Charles Hutton, F. X. von Zach, and H. C. Schumacher. When will Thomas Young receive Charles Babbage's table?

Reference number: HS/18/334

Autographed draft letter. Draft written around letter from Mrs Forbes [HS/18/335a] Herschel encloses note from Sir John Barrow refusing scientific instruments and objecting to using barometers. Supplying cameras and sextants to Admiralty's marine survey is not interference by Board of Longitude. Sent John Frederick William Herschel's expenses to Edward Sabine; has no further word on subject. Encloses Mr. Stewart's note about damages at Wrotham.

Reference number: HS/18/335

Autograph letter signed by sender. [Board of Longitude] must answer to Parliament, not to public opinion. Do not contest the system. Order pocket sextants; they and barometer will be sent to Captain [Richard] Copeland. Knows how John Frederick William Herschel feels about expenses sent to Edward Sabine, but please write receipt and send it to Thomas Young within week. Will write directly to Charles Babbage for tables.

Reference number: HS/18/336

Autograph letter signed by sender. Suggests change in John Frederick William Herschel's table of refractions. Possible error in John Pond's reductions [illustration].

Reference number: HS/18/337

Copy of letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. Edward Sabine declares that Royal Society [of London] is hostile to Edward Sabine's interests. If Edward Sabine makes future claim for compensation, John Frederick William Herschel wants Thomas Young's opinion in writing. Need to order four night glasses for Fairlight Station. Encloses letter from [Richard] Copeland.

Reference number: HS/20/214

Copy of draft letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. Draft written around letter from Mrs Forbes [HS/18/335a] Herschel encloses note from Sir John Barrow refusing scientific instruments and objecting to using barometers. Supplying cameras and sextants to Admiralty's marine survey is not interference by Board of Longitude. Sent John Frederick William Herschel's expenses to Edward Sabine; has no further word on subject. Encloses Mr. Stewart's note about damages at Wrotham.

Reference number: HS/20/223
1826

John Frederick William Herschel publishes in the Philosophical Transactions

1826: John Frederick William Herschel publishes “On the parallax of the fixed stars”.

Autograph letter signed by sender, with annotations by recipient. Errors in equinoctial time calculated by John Pond. Suggests limiting decimal places in value of equinoctial time to reflect this uncertainty. Making error uniform will make it awkward to alter future almanacs.

Reference number: HS/18/354

Autograph letter signed by sender. Resolved puzzle about sidereal year, which needs better definition. Error between true and nominal positions prevents Thomas Young adopting 'equinoctial time' for chronology investigations.

Reference number: HS/18/356

Autograph letter signed by sender. J. J. Littrow's paper in F. X. von Zach's April [Correspondence astronomique, geologique, hydrographique et statistique] is only 'a new hash' of [F. W.] Bessel and no improvement.

Reference number: HS/18/358

Autograph letter signed by sender. Send plan of furnace to Thomas Young or Michael Faraday before tomorrow's committee meeting.

Reference number: HS/18/359
1827

Joseph Nicéphore Niépce presents his photographs in England for the first time

1827

Autograph letter signed by sender. 'Our volume is nearly ready.' Problem dating vernal equinoxes before Christ's birth.

Reference number: HS/18/338
1828

Autograph letter signed by sender. T. M. Brisbane is in town. Can John Frederick William Herschel meet him? John Frederick William Herschel's computations of definite integrals are simpler, more direct than P. S. Laplace's and more conclusive than Leonhard Euler's. Comments on W. H. F. Talbot's letters demonstrating Josef Fraunhofer's theorem.

Reference number: HS/18/339

Autograph letter signed by sender. Board of Longitude will accomplish nothing by meeting before T. M. Brisbane comes to town, but Thomas Young suggests informal discussion, either at Thomas Young's or Henry Kater's.

Reference number: HS/18/340

Autograph letter signed by sender. Henry Kater not well [enough to travel] and requests committee meet at Kater's house. Thomas Young urges John Frederick William Herschel to verify W. H. Wollaston's measurement of refraction before republishing John Frederick William Herschel's essay. Diagrams Christiaan Huygens's principle of refraction. Thomas Young is making forms of aplanatic lenses.

Reference number: HS/18/341

Autograph letter signed by sender. Hopes John Frederick William Herschel will stay for Sunday dinner at Thomas Young's before John Frederick William Herschel visits Dr. Litten. If so, please invite T. M. Brisbane and Francis Baily to join them. Writes formula Thomas Young discovered for discontinuous spectra. Thomas Young can now communicate with H. W. M. Olbers and T. J. Seebeck via H. C. Schumacher.

Reference number: HS/18/342

Autograph letter signed by sender, with annotations by recipient. Abandons Thomas Young's argument on Mr. Roberts's object glass. Asks John Frederick William Herschel's help in understanding A. J. Fresnel's calculations of diffraction and Josef Fraunhofer's discontinuous functions.

Reference number: HS/18/343

Autograph letter signed by sender, with annotations by recipient. Sudden demolition of Board of Longitude. Thomas Young is left as superintendent [of Nautical Almanac]. Notes quality of J. F. Encke's almanac for 1830. Should English compete with German astronomers, or discontinue almanac supplements? Thomas Young's paper on 'Astronomical Chronology' in W. T. Brande's [Quarterly Journal of Science and Art] illustrates John Frederick William Herschel's equatorial time.

Reference number: HS/18/344

Autographed draft letter, signed or initialed by sender. Encourages Thomas Young to publish 1829 supplement to Nautical Almanac. John Frederick William Herschel originally proposed supplement to introduce improvements that would bring N. A. to be like Encke's Ephemeris. That is all ended now. English are dropping behind French and Germans in science. John Frederick William Herschel refuses to accept money from government 'which treats its agents so cavalierly.' Reduction of Parramatta [Australia] observations. Did not see Thomas Young's paper in W. T. Brande's [Quarterly Journal of Science and Art], but objects to substitution of true for mean equinox.

Reference number: HS/18/345

Autograph letter signed by sender, with annotations by recipient. Will not hold John Frederick William Herschel responsible for accuracy of William Richardson's computations. No instructions yet from Admiralty about Nautical Almanac, which goes to press soon. Thomas Young will insert John Frederick William Herschel's equinoctial time. Notes two works by A. F. C. Kollman on harmony and [Beck] on 'thorough-bass.'

Reference number: HS/18/346

Autograph letter signed by sender. Feels responsible for John Frederick William Herschel refusing to accept Navy's £25 reimbursement. Used John Frederick William Herschel's [equinoctial] time [in Nautical Almanac supplement], but with different notation. Disagrees that England's scientific reputation depends upon its government. William Richardson is justified in continuing work of late Board of Longitude. Reports meeting in Paris with Jacques Babinet and François Arago.

Reference number: HS/18/347

Autograph letter signed by sender. Problems calculating sun's mean longitude due to movement of perigee. Questions S. D. Poisson's value for sidereal year.

Reference number: HS/18/350

Autograph letter signed by sender. Board of Longitude would approve providing Lieutenant Forbes with apparatus John Frederick William Herschel suggested. Inappropriate for any member to address Admiralty separately. Payment of expenses to committee members.

Reference number: HS/18/357

Copy of draft letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. Encourages Thomas Young to publish 1829 supplement to Nautical Almanac. John Frederick William Herschel originally proposed supplement to introduce improvements that would bring N. A. to be like Encke's Ephemeris. That is all ended now. English are dropping behind French and Germans in science. John Frederick William Herschel refuses to accept money from government 'which treats its agents so cavalierly.' Reduction of Parramatta [Australia] observations. Did not see Thomas Young's paper in W. T. Brande's [Quarterly Journal of Science and Art], but objects to substitution of true for mean equinox.

Reference number: HS/21/26
1829

John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart are married in London

3 March 1829

Autograph letter signed by sender. John Frederick William Herschel's determination of length of equinoctial year will remain for long time. Mrs. Young is delighted to hear of John Frederick William Herschel's new discovery.

Reference number: HS/18/348

Autograph letter signed by sender. Invites John Frederick William Herschel to join Thomas Young to meet Thomas Henderson at [Davies] Gilbert's party Saturday. T. F. Colby accepted payment from Board of Longitude up to Christmas; Henry Kater would not accept payment beyond dissolution of Board. Thomas Young believes John Frederick William Herschel should accept payment at least from March to June.

Reference number: HS/18/349

Autograph letter signed by sender. Measurement of moon's diameter and distance. Expects John Frederick William Herschel will soon have 'official authority over me' and [Nautical Almanac]. Astronomers probably regulate sidereal clock by variable equinox because they cannot find a fixed one. Errors in John Frederick William Herschel's equinoctial time.

Reference number: HS/18/353