| Description | Family transcription of Sir John Herschel's original diary. The volume describes Herschel's scientific and social life, largely in London, where he had a town residence in Harley Street. The year is taken up with business of the Royal Mint, commencing with arrangements for [William] Wyon and including the making of the Waterloo Medal dies for Benedetto Pistrucci. On 5 January Herschel comments that 'Babbage called & bored me to death with his loose generalities & possible explanations of imaginary difficulties'. Herschel dines with with Lord Russell on 16 January, the guests include Thomas Babington Macaulay and Charles Dickens. On 20 February he dines with Mrs [Julia Margaret] Cameron, the guests including 'Mr Watts [George Frederic Watts] a young artist in the Portrait line (to whom it seems I am to be victimised)'. On 25 March 'Met Tennyson (The Poet)'. Herschel attends Michael Faraday's lectures at the Royal Institution. On 19 September he sees a demonstration of Messrs Phillips' fire extinguishing apparatus at Battersea.
With a note on the cover page '1851'. |