Showing 369 results

Swansea - GA will be 'extremely glad' to have Neale as a pupil. However, further to his correspondence with Myers, he does not know whether Mr Hare had or had not already engaged a tutor for Neale. Could WW answer some questions further to the fellowship examination - 'In the first place must I sit at all? In the next place supposing that I sit, by what time must I be at Cambridge?'"

Two drawings, "Ye crowning of ye Jarl Harold" showing Harold's coronation as depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry, and an illuminated manuscript page of the beginning of the Ten Commandments. Accompanied by an envelope which identifies these as illuminations done in childhood.

Slough - WW and George Peacock have 'absolutely turned his [Babbage] brain by your inflammatory conversation'. Babbage has been 'running analysis mad' and so has JH: 'I really have read and written more in the last fortnight than ever I did in twice the time in any other part of my life and I advise you to go and do likewise'. 'The distress of the poor and the pressure of the times forms the subject of conversation here'.

Observatory - There is not a word about undulations in the papers by William Herschel on Newton's rings, in the Philosophical Transactions for 1807 and 1809 respectively: 'I have been observing the following curious phenomenon. If Newton's rings be produced by two glasses, however they be viewed the central spot is black. But if a glass be placed on metal, and viewed with polarised light (polarised to plane of reflection) then up to the polarising angle the central spot is black, and instantly beyond that it is white. This I anticipated from Fresnel's [experiments]: it is confirmatory of them, and defies emissions'.

Slough - JH has sent WW's paper to Davy 'with the character it merits (for he cannot read it) - one of the neatest applications of algebraic analysis I have seen' ['A General Method of Calculating the Angles Made by Any Planes of Crystals, and the Laws According to which They are Formed', Phil. Trans., 1825].

Royal Observatory Greenwich - GA had WW's 'Tide scheme' copied and sent to Francis Beaufort 'to ask if it required nautical corrections'. GA has just heard from Beaufort: 'I inclose it. Therefore I send the suggestions to the Secretary of the Admiralty today; and I refer him to you for further correspondence'.

Collingwood - JH sends WW the beginning of his Hexameter translation of book one of the 'Iliad': 'So far as the question as to the nationalisation of the Hexameter goes I am not dissatisfied with it, as there seems to me to be no appearance of constraint, and no material violation of accent in reading the lines but it assuredly does read bald and homely'. However, Homer's diction is also homely and in comparison to Pope is also bald. The English blank verse comes with a class at the end, while the Hexameter makes up for its terminal weakness by its initial form: 'The one is epigrammatic, the other impulsive. The one belongs to a natural and somewhat artificial literature, the other to a nascent and majestic one'.

Royal Observatory Greenwich - GA has just returned from Madeira where his wife and daughter are staying [see GA to WW, 20 November 1851]. GA doubts whether his daughter's health, Elizabeth, is any better. He saw 'the Pole Star lower than I practically thought possible (the Earth is assuredly not flat)'.

Collingwood - JH is preparing 'a popular lecture on the sun adapted to the meridian of our Hawkhurst trades folks and farmers'. He is also producing a translation of the first book of the 'Iliad' into hexameters: 'It is shockingly bald and homely by the side of Pope - but I flatter myself a good deal more like Homer'.

Royal Observatory Greenwich - GA formally communicated Ross's [James C. Ross] scheme to the Admiralty but received no answer: 'It does not consist of my notions of propriety to go to the Treasury for a matter which must be managed by the Admiralty, unless that Admiralty had given an answer in this shape "We are desirous of doing it, but have no funds"'. That was how he gained funds for the Trigonometrical survey via the Royal Society memorial to the Treasury. GA thinks 'it would be best still to operate privately upon the Duke of Northumberland. If any thing is to be done formally, I suppose that Sabine [Edward Sabine] is the right person'.

Collingwood - Thanks WW for his Plato Vol. 3 [WW's trans. of Plato's Republic, 1861]. JH gives his reply to WW's observations on the beginning of JH's translation of the first book of Homer's 'Iliad' [see JH to WW, 12 Dec. 1861].

Collingwood - JH thanks WW for his remarks on his translation of book one of Homer's 'Iliad': 'I have adopted your suggestions all but one or two'. He has also begun the second book , but has not got far as he is constructing a 'general index catalogue of nebulae' with the aid of George Airy. JH's son Alexander Herschel is a candidate for the Professorship of Natural Philosophy at the Andersonian University of Glasgow: 'If in addition [to signing his certificate] you should think that he would be likely to make a good professor and in that case would express that opinion to the Secretary W. Ambrose...it would be a great help to him'.

Royal Observatory Greenwich - Edward Sabine has given GA a letter from Francis Beaufort to pass to WW: 'It seems that the Admiralty of the present day are not so good men of business as some of their predecessors, and a little private action upon them is desirable'. It appears to be the opinion of all concerned that no formal application can be made: 'Therefore will you write at once privately to the Duke of Northumberland. - The Treasury have demanded the Annual Estimates earlier than usual, and there is no time to be lost'.

Playford near Ipswich -- GA and Richarda Airy will not be able to make a trip to Cambridge. GA gives his views regarding 'the objects of university studies and the modes of attaining these objects'. The purpose of a university course is 'to prescribe a course of studies (not necessarily the same for every individual), to assist them by books, lectures, &c, and to stimulate and reward them by honours and pecuniary grants'. It is the responsibility of the college to deal with the first of these requirements. The intention of the college in regard to the college course of studies ought to be built into 'the ordinary subjects prescribed for daily study in the successive years of an undergraduate's college life, and in the examinations relating to them: 'these must practically express the course prescribed by the college'. GA did not approve of the Trinity Commemoration Day prizes: 'The essayists and the youths who have written Alcaics and Elegiacs are called up early, and are addressed in flattering terms, and altogether are made the heroes of the day and of the year, while the first-class-men are dismissed at the end of the ceremony without a single word. The general impression left on me was, that the lectures and the annual examinations are kept up merely for form's sake'. This has injured the educational interests of the college. The changes made since GA was a freshman have given undergraduates too great a share in the selection of their courses of study.

Collingwood - JH does not like book two of Homer's 'Iliad': 'The catalogue of ships is simply abominable - the whole book is such a falling off from book 1 that (but for other characteristic marks) I should scarcely believe is written by the same author'. JH does not want to see any other translations in advance of his own and 'of those I have seen I like my own best'.

Flamsteed House, Greenwich - GA has looked at the letter to the Vice-Chancellor and entirely approves of it: 'The unlimited tenure of Fellowships I think to be most important. There is only one thing which at present is doubtful to me, and that is the continuation of Sizarship gratuities after the election as scholars, middle of page 2. I think that the foundation of the independence of the future Fellows is to be found in the position of the scholars, at that proud table (the only one in Hall) where all are equal and no stranger is ever seen. I would carefully abstain from sowing the seed of division there'. GA thanks WW for his Plurality [Of the Plurality of Worlds: An Essay, 3rd edn., 1854]: 'I think it is right. Specially I agree with the leading idea that we have no right to assume or presume that all matter was necessarily meant to be inhabited or as we say useful, but that we must take things as we find them: and I am glad that you have had the boldness to say so'.

Collingwood - JH has not been working much on his translation of Homer's 'Iliad'. He will not be attending the BAAS meeting in October: 'that sort of thing is more than I can face now'. De Morgan has sent him a spoof of the opening of book one of the 'Iliad' [JH encloses a copy].

Collingwood - JH claims he thought he had sent WW 'my atoms' and encloses another off-print [JH, 'On Atoms' dated 16 Oct. 1860]. Thanks WW for his remarks on his translation of Homer's 'Iliad'. JH asks: 'What is to be done in the matter of this lamentable blow up between [George] Airy and [Edward] Sabine, - Surely A has taken up the matter in a very high handed and violent manner' [GA wants to expel ES as Chairman of the Board of Visitors to the Greenwich Observatory]. JH had been unaware that there had been any bickering at the BAAS.

Royal Observatory Greenwich - GA is 'busy in the pendulum reductions, and till they are pretty far advanced or indeed completed we cannot tell how good the results are'. He sent six observers to Haston Colliery: 'I put up the apparatus and gave a few lessons, but I did not take a single observation'. GA gives a description of the tests: 'Galvonic wires were laid from one station to the other, and a telegraph needle was mounted by each clock face, and thus our clocks were compared by simultaneous signals without any necessity for chronometers'. GA is surprised at WW's report of Scoresby's remark on the non-correction of varying inductive force, and he should direct Scoresby [William Scoresby] to look at the Phil. Trans. for 1839 (p. 182-183): 'The effect of induced magnetism is very small, and I believe that ship-correcters very commonly neglect it'.

Collingwood - JH will be sending WW 'a modified copy of the Maclear [Thomas Maclear] memorial', all he has to do is sign it and return it to JH. C. P. Smyth [Charles Piazzi Smyth] has informed JH that there 'is a provision (by superannuation fund deduction) for his retirement' which means JH has to cancel what has already been done.

Royal Observatory Greenwich - GA's 'people have brought up the pendulum-calculations to the final stage, and the result is - 1. The pendulums have stood so well as to give very great confidence in the accuracy of result. 2. The gravity at the bottom of the mine (reputed 1260 feet) is greater than at the top by 1/19190 part...This gives density nearly = 2.7 x density of coal measures, which is more than I expected'.

Flamsteed House, Greenwich - The vibratory result for the pendulum experiments is 'very certain' [see GA to WW, 1 Nov. 1854]. GA and Richarda Airy accept WW's invitation to Commemoration Day at Cambridge.

Collingwood - Business concerning Thomas Maclear's testimonial and a mistake regarding a provision for his retirement. WW is to annex his signature where indicated [see JH to WW, 23 Dec. 1862]. Could WW get Challis's [James Challis] signature also and then return the form to JH.

Collingwood - Thanks WW for his lectures on Political Economy. JH can imagine WW in his cape and gown lecturing to the Prince of Wales seated on a stool, 'note book in hand...drinking in the words of wisdom'. Regarding the book: 'So then the good old theory of Rent is exploded and auxiliary capital is the word! Well well live and learn'. Illness in the family.

Flamsteed House, Greenwich - GA is 'very well inclined to accept the Caius invitation, especially if it is agreeable to you to go there'.

GA does not think WW's letter to David Brewster 'at all savage': 'If I had any discussion with Brewster on these points I would certainly hit him about his bad information and his influence in acting on it. The revenues of professorships &c is one point already reproached - another is the character of the professors "Whewell, Airy & Hamilton" the only true experimenters - Does not [James?] Cumming do more than all? And did [Sir W. R. ?] Hamilton since he drew vital air ever make or meditate an experiment or trouble himself about other peoples?...I wish Babbage's non-lecturing could somehow be lugged into this controversy'.

2 Orchard St., Portman Sq. - WW's paper on Crystallography was read at the Royal Society and an abstract will be distributed at the next meeting ['A General Method of Calculating the Angles Made by Any Planes of Crystals, and the Laws According to which They are Formed', Phil. Trans., 1825]. JH did not hear whether WW had made any reference to Levy's paper in Brewster's journal. Because of the similarity with his paper, WW should refer to it in his abstract.

Collingwood - Thanks WW for his annotations to JH's translation of Homer's 'Iliad', and shows WW where he thinks he has misread him. Book five is nearly finished but JH does not like it. Maria Herschel hopes to be well enough to accept WW's invitation - along with Amelia Herschel - to Trinity Lodge. JH attaches a short verse of translation.