Identity area
Reference code
Herschel/Box 1/Letter 6
Unique identifier
Title
Date(s)
- 6 August 1813 (Creation)
Level of description
Item
Extent and medium
3p. paper
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Astronomer; son of Sir William Herschel; senior wrangler and first Smith's prizeman, 1813; subsequently fellow of St John's College, Cambridge; MA 1816; helped to found Analytical Society, Cambridge, 1813; secretary to Royal Society 1824-7; president of Astronomical Society, 1827-32; created baronet, 1838; president of British Association, 1845; master of the Mint, 1850-5. Major contribution to astronomy through the discovery and cataloguing of many double stars, work on 'light' and early work on photographical process. Buried in Westminster Abbey.
Repository
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Asks Whittaker not to send all the volumes of Ecole Polytechnic, but only the relevant ones. Thanks Whittaker for his letter and will write as soon as he has time to compose a suitable letter.
Also attached is autographed letter from Herschel to Greenwood. Asks Greenwood jokingly to compose a piece of music in 5/4 time. Tells of his musical mania. Asks for a recommendation for a musical text book