Showing 14 results

RJ hopes WW received his sheets [see RJ to WW, 1 March 1845]: 'I find no fault with any of your practical views about poor laws - it is your theory of moral duties as obligatory on states in the same manner as on individuals that I can only take with considerable modifications'. RJ left John Herschel a great deal calmer - 'but no one unacquainted with his peculiar temperament' could imagine how much James South agitates him. Herschel 'had not been able even to look over his fathers papers quietly - we went through them and the result was compleatly satisfactory. The discovery by the 40 feet of the 7th satellite in particular is narrated in the original observation book and all the steps from doubt to certainty to triumph committed to paper in a way which was exceedingly interesting even to me and I hope Herschel will some day or other publish them certainly not however to carry out a battle with such a trumpery opponent as South. The letter to the Times was gone before I arrived'.

RJ has just got a letter from John Herschel 'begging me to come to him at once and I am hurtling to change all arrangements and to be off in 1/2 an hour. I guess it is about South [James South] whom he allows to agitate him and I hope to calm him'. RJ gives some type errors he has spotted in the work WW has sent him ['The Elements of Morality, Including Polity'?] . RJ agrees 'with almost all your poor law practical views - You know I do not agree with you in thinking the state a moral agent unless very careful distinctions are drawn between our sense of moral obligations as members of a state and as individuals and it would be useless to embark in that controversy'. RJ can 'see nothing to find fault with except perhaps that you speak too confidently about the feudal element derived from the manners of the tribes - much of the feudal coloring has been thrown back I suspect by later writers'.

RS sends WW two pieces of his work: 'The longitude of Brussels contains a better account of personal equation than I think you will find elsewhere'. He is disappointed with his article on the Transit: 'Still I believe it contains more on the subject of an elementary and practical nature than can be found elsewhere'. RS's 'old antagonist Sir James [James South] has issued a placard and an advertisement in the Times of Monday last, which I suppose he intends for a severe blow to the Astronomer Royal and to me'. RS believes this was induced by John W. Lubbock's 'folly in giving him a hearing by the Council of the Royal on the subject of their copies of their Transactions. This kind of notice, was pretty certain to revive his spirits and as no notice will be taken of his placard, I dare say he will feel encouraged to make another attack. It is hard that Lubbock's want of ordinary tact and sense should bring wrong on other people, for if in consequence of this, South should again assail the Society I feel certain that Sir John [John Herschel] will give small aid in quieting Sir James however easily he may be gulled by him'.

Trinity College - WW 'was delighted to hear of the temper in which you were working and of the prospect of getting on again with the printing' ['An Essay on the Distribution of Wealth, and on the Sources of Taxation: Part 1. - Rent', 1831]. WW hopes John Herschel will 'be our next President [of The Royal Society]: both for the reason you mention and because I do really care for the poor old society which I suppose you do not. It would be bad to desert the ancient lady because such bullies and parasites as South [James South] have been trying to hustle her out of the country'. WW does not think Peel [Robert Peel] will take notice of RJ's project, 'but in good truth I think something of the kind is needed - the proceedings in your part of the world are like a break up of society'.

RS wrote to George Airy yesterday concerning an application from Francis Beaufort: 'The Admiralty have commissioned him to look out for an assistant for Fallows' [Fearon Fallows - astronomer at the Cape of Good Hope]. 'Judging from myself I should prefer breaking in a man to my ways rather than having one ready made who might not think my mode better than his own and therefore it seems to me that a clear headed good tempered active man who might be supposed likely to be a companion to Fallows would be better than a scrub exported from Greenwich'. Although RS thinks 'we have spiflicated Sir James [James South]' - he is only half satisfied: 'He is not only a great orator but a pathetic orator, and he will speak whether he has anything or nothing to say. Now I had him well on the hip and with a tolerably favourable audience but most unfortunately without a proper opportunity and with a chance of stopping important business. So I did not do what I ought to have done ridiculed him for his much ado about nothing trumpery exhibition'. South has retired from the Council and RS had been elected in his place. RS is currently involved in all sorts of Nautical Almanac computations. He will make another attempt to serve John Pond but if he declines he will leave him to his fate: 'I class Pond, the Church and the Universities all together...With such bodies who can't fight and don't know where the stand is to be made I will not throw in my lot but will rather go against, if I must cut at all'

RS will be coming to Cambridge in the latter half of next week. He will tell WW 'of a most ridiculous exhibition made at the Astronomical last night by Sir James South'. Will WW congratulate the Plumian Professor 'on his increase of family and dignity' [George Airy moves from Lucasian professor of Mathematics to Plumian Professor of Astronomy]. 'Are you all tolerably contented with the reform [the proposed Reform Bill]' - RS thinks 'it is the most prudent and safe measure that could now be passed'. He is 'in a vast hurry as I have thrown away my morning in mollifying and confirming my astronomical friends and in vilifying South. It will be worth while, if he stand at bay, to come to the special general meeting for I think he will either submit, make an evasive O'Connel sort of fight or be expelled and in that case he must in my opinion leave the country. I shall be at him again in the Greenwich Visitation Board'.

RS thinks there is no hope of him joining WW at the audit due to his rheumatism. He dined yesterday at the Royal Society: 'Mr Gassiot [John Gassiot] complained of Sir James South's attacks upon him and the members seemed to acquiesce very cordially in the very strong language he applied to Sir James'.

Concerning the donation of a book in her possession created by Augustus De Morgan, recording the quarrel between Richard Sheepshanks, Sir James South and Charles Babbage, now on the shelves of Trinity College Library, shelfmark Adv.c.16.32.

Obs[ervator]y, Kensington. - Asks if the ground rent is included in the annual rent, and what sum if any is asked for the remnant of Lord Macaulay's lease.

Observatory, Kensington. - Has been referred to them by Thomas Flower Ellis re Holly Lodge; requests the terms on which the property is to be disposed, and authority to inspect it.

Trinity Lodge - Thanks RJ for his comments [see WW to RJ, 7 Mar. 1845]: 'When you see all that I have said about the moral character of nations, I think you will find that I have not talked hopelessly or vaguely on that subject'. WW is upset that John Herschel has been 'so much disturbed by that busybody South [James South]. I have not seen the letter which South published; I think I asked from you that Herschel also has written to the Times, and I will look for his letter'.

Sends "the Apparent Right Ascensions of such of the Greenwich Stars as you are most likely to observe with your Transit Instrument during the present month."