| RefNo | HSF/1/1/15 |
| Previous numbers | 600/31/38 |
| Level | Item |
| Title | Letter from [John Frederick William Herschel], Collingwood, to [William] Whewell |
| Creator | Herschel; Sir John Frederick William; first baronet (1792-1871); British mathematician and astronomer |
| Date | 11 April 1864 |
| Description | Herschel thanks Whewell for his remarks [on 'The Iliad' translation] but he has misread 'soft-hearted Menelaus' for 'soft-headed'. He gives an example of rhythm in Latin verse, and gives responses to remarks on individual lines. He is glad that Whewell continues to like Herschel's version. He has a notion of printing the first six books, although he has begun to translate Book 7, calling this 'a short &...pleasing book'. Homer is too hard on Hector for being no match for Ajax, he thinks, and Minerva and Apollo 'are a couple of great geese'. Whewell's friend [Hermann] Kindt has called Pope doggerel, but retreated, saying he had misunderstood the English meaning of the word. He meant 'balladwartig' [ballad-like], the very thing that admirers of Homer censure him for, by say that Pope is not. |
| Extent | 4p. |
| Format | Manuscript |
| PhysicalDescription | Ink on paper |
| AccessStatus | Open |
Fellows associated with this archive
| Code | PersonName | Dates |
| NA8238 | Herschel; Sir; John Frederick William (1792 - 1871); astronomer | 1792 - 1871 |