Record

HSF - Correspondence of Sir John Frederick William Herschel, and the Herschel family
- 3 - Letters of William James Herschel
  - 2 - Letters from William James Herschel to family members

RefNo	HSF/3/2/10
Level	Item
Title	Letter from William James Herschel, to 'My dearest Father' [Sir John Frederick William Herschel]
Creator	Herschel; Sir William James; second baronet (1833-1917); British developer of fingerprinting and judge
Date	29 May 1854
Description	He has scarcely begun to explore India yet. Whatever abuse he has heaped on servants, tradesmen and others in India in his accounts of it cannot be the general characteristics of the people, but this has been drummed into him by almost every white mouth. He fears that he will begin to believe this without having tested it and is disinclined to relate stories to his father. He intends to work away quietly and relate what befalls him, without producing a false impression. William's one engrossing subject is the heat and he describes sitting in a darkened room to write with the thermometer at 93.5 degrees. He expands on the effects, stating that Dr Lamb, who has been in India for 45 years, declared the last year to be the third hottest and this year, until recently, the coolest he had known. William gives other weather accounts, including from Mr Taylor, an indigo planter. At Malda, the chief danger is in the rainy season, from malaria. He begins to describe his work, including the thirty or forty regulations to learn in both the civil and criminal branches. He thinks he may have sent a plan of his house and a description of his furniture, but if not he can. He describes Mr [E C] Craster, the joint magistrate and collector, 'a very lucky fellow being scarce 26 & yet in enjoyment of full powers'. William notes Craster's pay, his appearance and his family having lived in the same castle for almost 800 years. Beadon recommended him to Herschel, but William has found it difficult to draw information out of him. He is quick in his work, however, but William has seen little of it being occupied himself with police. They walk and dine together, with William now having a daily bottle of Bass's pale ale. There is also Dr Lamb, whom William also describes, and who is head of the Assistant Surgeons. Lamb lives alone in his cottage, and William first saw him sitting outside it with what he thought a glass of brandy and water, and thought he was a drinker, a mistaken impression. The telegraph from Bombay [Mumbai] has just given news of the bombardment of Odessa.
Extent	8p.
Format	Manuscript
PhysicalDescription	Ink on paper
AccessStatus	Open

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