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The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Copy letter, from Sir John Herschel to William Whewell, dated at Collingwood

Reference number: HS/18/209

Date: 29 December 1846

Description

Copy letter in John Herschel's hand. Responding to a published statement by William Whewell regarding the discovery of Neptune, John Frederick William Herschel presents in detail a different interpretation, giving more credit to U. J. J. Leverrier than William Whewell favored. Suggests that some observatory make a photographic record of sunspots.
A pencil note is added in the last page noting "God forgive me for writing this way... the truth lies on the other side & Adams is the 1st theoretical discoverer of Neptune. The whole thing was perverted by Airy's indefensible reticence. On him be the responsibility of the (temporary) transfer of one of the brightest stars in Britain's scientific fame to France"

Reference number
HS/18/209
Earliest possible date
29 December 1846
Page extent
4 pages
Format
Manuscript
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Creator name

John Frederick William Herschel

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Citation

John Frederick William Herschel, Copy letter, from Sir John Herschel to William Whewell, dated at Collingwood, 29 December 1846, HS/18/209, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/hs_18_209/copy-letter-from-sir-john-herschel-to-william-whewell-dated-at-collingwood, accessed on 12 February 2026

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https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/hs_18_209/copy-letter-from-sir-john-herschel-to-william-whewell-dated-at-collingwood

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  • Herschel Letters

    This collection of nearly 10,900 letters, drafts, copies and notes is the largest repository of scientific correspondence from and to Sir John Herschel, leading figure of Victorian science.

    Dates: 1807 - 1875

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