| Description | William considers it strange to be in a portion of history. Any excitement caused by the Crimean War was nothing compared to the passions stirred by events in India. William gives his impressions of the characters of the Muslims and Hindus in India, and the religious quarrels, including within Muslim sects. Few Europeans believe that they would not be betrayed by them, and [Frederick James] Halliday's appointment of Ameer Ali to the post of Assistant Commissioner of Patna has caused widespread indignation. William believes that Halliday has staked Patna and half the North West on the character of Ameer Ali, an appointment which his religion should have made impossible. He thinks that by now the family will have realised the mistake in believing he had been appointed to Murshidabad, but he wishes to see more of India rather than becoming 'an old Bengalee'. He hopes to take his three months' leave in the cold weather in Dehli. He has asked Grote's advice on volunteering for the North West, on the restoration of peace, and Grote discouraged him. Partly, his wish to go to the North West was on the advice of his uncle on climate, but William has been free of fever during the last five months. The great event since his last mail was the solar eclipse, which they were lucky enough to see. William includes a sketch, stating that the eclipse was not quite central, but the Sun became a ring with the beads visible. He had both his father's telescope and Mr Dawes's at work with coloured glasses and 'it really was a noble sight'. He gives further description of the phenomenon, which would have been a total eclipse at Rampoor Beauleah [Rampur Boalia] and states that he astonished Indians with his explanation of the different appearence of the eclipse at different locations, using his watch and a rupee. To some the eclipse was of an entirely religious character. The weather gave anxiety, but the skies gradually cleared,although it would have been still too cloudy for refined observations. Nevertheless they saw the beads, 'like rivulets of molten quicksilver' and he gives his interpretation of their cause. William has just seen Colonel Milman of the 37th Regiment and Captain [Edward Southwell] Sotheby of HMS Pearl and he describes them. Captain [William] Peel VC has also passed thorugh. William has prepared an account of the siege of Arrah, using [Richard Vicars] Boyle's account of it, but he sent this to the Watsons to read and it has not been returned yet [HSF/3/5/24]. He encloses a letter to Johnny [John Herschel] and notes that his earache is nearly well. Miss Waterfield sent him a note of congratulation and criticisms from 'The Guardian' on the 'Essays' and the 'Spaziergang' |