Skip to content

Please be aware that some material may contain words, descriptions or illustrations which will not reflect current scientific understanding and may be considered in today's context inaccurate, unethical, offensive or distressing.

The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Copy letter, from Sir John Herschel to Charles Babbage, dated at Slough

Reference number: HS/20/99

Date: 12 August 1820

Description

Copy of letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. It looks as though their projected Cornish excursion will have to be postponed for a time. Gives the formula for the conversion of rags into sugar. A Finnish astronomer wishes to be elected a member of the Astronomical Society. Observations on the theory of parallax.

Reference number
HS/20/99
Earliest possible date
12 August 1820
Page extent
4 pages
Format
Manuscript
Also available on Epsilon
View Also available on Epsilon (external link, opens in new tab)

Creator name

John Frederick William Herschel

View page for John Frederick William Herschel

Use this record

IIIF manifest

View​ IIIF ​ manifest Opens in new tab

Open in Mirador viewer Opens in new tab

Export this record

Download PDF Opens in new tab

Citation

John Frederick William Herschel, Copy letter, from Sir John Herschel to Charles Babbage, dated at Slough, 12 August 1820, HS/20/99, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/hs_20_99/copy-letter-from-sir-john-herschel-to-charles-babbage-dated-at-slough, accessed on 12 July 2026

Link to this record

https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/hs_20_99/copy-letter-from-sir-john-herschel-to-charles-babbage-dated-at-slough

Embed this record

<iframe src="https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/embed/items/hs_20_99/copy-letter-from-sir-john-herschel-to-charles-babbage-dated-at-slough" title="Copy letter, from Sir John Herschel to Charles Babbage, dated at Slough" allow="fullscreen" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="500px"></iframe>

Hierarchy

This item is part of:

Related Fellows

Map

Explore the collection

  • 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

    View collection