| Description | Family transcription of Sir John Herschel's original diary. The volume describes Herschel's scientific and social life, with meteorological and a few astronomical observations. The diary commences mid-year, with Herschel sending a letter of Sir Benjamin Brodie to William Lassell, containing news of the Royal Society's intervention with the Government of Malta. On 13 August he works on Sir John Lubbock's 'theory of the extinction of meteors in the Earth's shadow', which he concludes is 'nonsense', writing to Lubbock on the subject on 15 August and thereafter. He conducts experiments on the polarization of light. From 29 October he begins a translation of Homer in hexameters. On 16 December Herschel notes the news of Prince Albert's death.
With a note on the cover page '1861. August to December written in 1837 book.' |