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RefNoHSF/1/1/6
Previous numbers600/31/51
LevelItem
TitleLetter from W [William] Whewell, Trinity Lodge, [Cambridge], to [Sir John Frederick William] Herschel
CreatorWhewell; William (1794-1866); British mathematician
Date28 January 1862
DescriptionWhewell sends remarks on Herschel's translation on the other leaf of the letter. As for Paris, he thinks Alexandros is the best name for him and he can see no objection to Alexandros or Alexander, since licence can be taken in most forms of poetry. He thinks the accumulation of consonants in short syllables should be avoided if possible. Herschel avoids looking at other hexameter translations of Homer and he does well, but once he has finished Book 3, he should look at 'Helen on the walls of Troy' by [Edward Craven] Hawtrey in their hexameter book, which is only eleven lines. Whewell is grieved that summer has passed without his seeing anything of Sir John and Lady Herschel. The Milmans gave him a good account of Herschel. He thinks that Herschel has finished a little paper on atoms and asks why he has not sent it; Whewell was on the point of writing to Lady Herschel to ask for a copy. He knew that [James Inglis] Cochrane was an invalid, but not to the extent that Herschel described. His infirmities are no reason to spoil Homer as he has done for Goethe.

With line commentaries on Herschel's translation of The Iliad', book 2, and the closing remark 'I hope you will go on as I have said before'.
Extent4p.
FormatManuscript
PhysicalDescriptionInk on paper
AccessStatusOpen
Fellows associated with this archive
CodePersonNameDates
NA6578Whewell; William (1794 - 1866); college head and writer on the history and philosophy of science1794 - 1866
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