| 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 with Herschel writing up chemical experiments and entertaining two visitors from India, Satyendranath Tagore and Monomohun Ghose, studying for the Indian Civil Service. January is taken up with the illness of Julia Herschel ('it is not Typhus') which proceeds into February and beyond. Herschel works on a catalogue of nebulae at this time. On 22 February 'Wrote to Airy & Sabine in re Melbourne telescope & Babinet's gravimeter. Signed Hind's Certificate for R.S.' By the time of Julia's partial recovery, 22 February, other family members and servants are succumbing to fever and therefore 'a council of war - Dispersions recommended'. On 27 February Herschel signs a Royal Society election certificate in favour of 'Crooks' [William Crookes]. He sends [Edward Joseph] Lowe's paper on ozone to the Royal Society on 14 March. Herschel continues to work on nebulae during the period until 21 March when 'completed the first 1300 descriptions of nebulae - at this rate it will take three weeks more of unremitting hard work, six or eight hours a day'. The task is completed on 23 April 'a most tedious and wearisome labour'. New nebulae by [Heinrich Louis] D'Arrest and the Earl of Rosse are added in May and other elements until 14 July. On 23 July, Herschel declares it finished. There is a total eclipse of the Moon on 1 June. Herschel takes up his hexameter translation of Homer again on 16 July. On 18 July, Herschel is given the manuscript of Mary Somerville's latest work ['Correlations'] for comment which he completes by 30 July, writing to Mrs Somerville and Mr Grieg.and sending spectroscope plans to Abbe [François-Napoléon-Marie] Moigno, who visits Collingwood in September. Herschel records on 4 October that he has 'Added the final sentences to the introduction of my nebulae catalogue and prepared a letter for Stokes presenting my Father's sweeps & Register sheets & my Aunt's Catalogue to R.S.' These are taken by his son William for delivery to Somerset House on 15 October. The sixth edition of his 'Outlines of Astronomy' is delivered on 20 October. By 22 October, during a game of 'Poetry run round' one question is 'What is the origin of species?', the answer citing Charles Darwin. Herschel 'went & got photographed by Maull & Polyblank' on 19 November before dining at the Royal Society Club and presenting his nebulae catalogue paper at a meeting of the Royal Society. On 16 December 'Willy took up to the Astronomical Society my Aunt's copy of my Father's sweeps - presented to the Society with a letter to Mr Hodgson the Secretary'. The year ends with a performance of 'Puss in Boots' and Herschel working on a translation of book five of the Iliad.
With a note on the cover page '1862 (de est) 1863.' |