| Title |
Whewell papers |
| Reference |
201 |
| Covering Dates |
1817–66 |
| Extent and Medium |
1 box |
|
| Trinity/Add.Ms.a/201 contains: |
|
1
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Daniel Dewey Barnard to Edward Everett. DDB agrees to aid EE in supplying information to WW on education in the city of New York: common schools have no direct or systematic religious teaching - they have no sect whose tenets are recognised by law. He has read WW's book on Morality ['The Elements of Morality Including Polity', 2 vols., 1845] with 'infinite satisfaction' and does not 'doubt that it is doing great good in this country': DDB has been lecturing on WW's views 'in regard to Polity, and the relation of the state to moral culture and progress. I want our people to learn that there is something more in the state than has originated in their wisdom or been created by their power'. WW is clearly aware that his idea of education and the relations of church and state would not fit the US: 'the religious education of the people is pretty successfully cared for with us, though the state has so little to do with the matter directly'.
1 doc. |
28 Jan 1846 |
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2
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Madame de Barneveld to William Whewell. Mr de Barneveld would have replied to WW's note earlier had he been at home. MB has enclosed a reply she has just recieved from Professor Conrad Leemans. It would be a pleasure to see WW and Mrs Whewell in Leyden. MB's sister has died.
1 doc. |
30 Jul 1852 |
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3
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Conrad Leemans to Madame de Barneveld. CL is happy to 'offer every assistance and information' to WW on his forthcoming visit to Leyden.
1 doc. |
28 Jul 1852 |
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4
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J Bayley to William Whewell. On a device - a clock or larum - to indicate when the tide turns.
1 doc. |
17 Nov 1834 |
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5
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Richard Beamish to William Whewell. At the Cheltenham meeting of the British Association WW allowed RB to make a tracing of his hand: 'Since that time I have obtained so much evidence of the value of the hand as an index of moral and intellctual development that I am induced to prepare a work upon the subject for the press, and I venture to ask your permission to introduce your hand as illustartion of the philosophic type'.
1 doc. |
16 Dec 1863 |
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6
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Frederick Beasley to William Whewell. While WW was defending Isaac Newton in England, FB was also defending him in the USA: 'Nothing could be more contemptible than the attacks of Flamsteed - they refute themselves'.
1 doc. |
04 Jun 1836 |
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7
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Francis Beaufort to William Whewell. WW should write as he proposed to the dockyards. .
1 doc. |
17 Nov 1832 |
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8
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Francis Beaufort to William Whewell. Commends WW for his defence of Isaac Newton [in the wake of Francis Baily's 'Life of Flamsteed']: 'a character which is one of the most brilliant spots in the national Glory'. .
1 doc. |
02 Jan 1836 |
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9
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Francis Beaufort to William Whewell. Sends a paper by Capt. James Ross concerning the tides at the Falkland Islands.
1 doc. |
13 Feb 1843 |
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10
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Francis Beaufort to William Whewell. Thanks WW for the tide papers - 'acceptable presents to many naval men'. FB hopes WW will collect and arrange all his papers on this subject into one volume.
1 doc. |
22 Nov 1844 |
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11
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Francis Beaufort to William Whewell. Sends an extract of a letter concerning tides. Capt. Graves wants to continue with his attention to the subject of tides. .
1 doc. |
26 Feb 1846 |
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12
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Francis Beaufort to William Whewell. Any papers WW sent to Capt. O. Stanley via the Admiralty would have been forwarded - 'but we keep no account of what merely passes through our hands - Your paper on the tides of the Pacific would be highly interesting to him'.
1 doc. |
16 Jan 1850 |
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14
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George Beaumont to William Whewell. GB has lately patented a contrivance for draught or traction of carriage ploughs: He expects a working model (2/3 of full size) to be announced by his engineer. The machine has ploughed and carried: 'I time the weight of the moving power in Agent (2 youths) up the steepest road in the neighbourhood'. WW may send any person 'to witness its working up hill [Highgate]'. GB gives a description of the machine including diagrams. He has 'been incessantly employed planning by inspecting the machine in its progress through the hands of country mechanics and now at a London factory'.
1 doc. |
02 Jun 1845 |
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15
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L E de Beaumont to Adam Sedgwick.
1 doc. |
29 Jun 1832 |
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16
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Robert Belaney to William Whewell. Thanks WW for delivering the course of lectures on Moral Philosophy at Cambridge: RB admires those 'who are able and willing to rescue it from the degradation into which it has fallen'. Moral philosophy and religion cannot be separated. Paley's views 'have done more, than any other man dead or alive, to bring the semi-divine science of morals into disrepute with the religious world and into abuse with the learned'. The holy-alliance between the church and state is at stake: 'To displace Paley then, from the place he now so fatally for this country, occupies, I concieve to be the first step towards recovering'. WW should 'publish the lecture which you this morning delivered' - RB believes they would calm the 'troubled waters which are now washing away the foundations of all order, science and virtue; except the order of anarchy, the science of practical atheism and the virtue of selfishness'.
1 doc. |
16 Mar 1840 |
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17
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Andrew Bell to William Whewell. Would WW provide him with a reference for the Professorship of Natural Philosophy in the College of St. Andrew's. AB discusses a differential equation found in WW's treatise on Dynamics.
1 doc. |
28 Feb 1837 |
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18
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Andrew Bell to William Whewell. AB is sorry that WW has 'had so much trouble with my paper and am much obliged to you for your attention to it'. WW should withdraw the paper. However, AB does not know how to dispose of it: what scientific journal would be willing to take a purely mathematical paper - can WW recomend one? AB thinks he has discovered a mistake in WW's discussion of the action of the wedge in his treatise on mechanics.
1 doc. |
21 Jan 1839 |
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19
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Andrew Bell to William Whewell. The view AB took regarding WW's discussion of the action of the wedge [see AB to WW, 21 Jan 1839], was a different application of it: 'I am now convinced, from a more careful perusal of your demonstraion that it is perfectly correct. There is one point however that I think may be made more clear namely that the reaction of the unmoveable obstacle and other parts must be perpendicular in its direction to that of the resistance'. AB proves this with the aid of a diagram. .
1 doc. |
28 Jan 1839 |
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20
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Arthur John Bell to William Whewell. AJB believes he is the first to 'recognise an important fact on the Philosophy of Perception', and a 'knowledge of this fact, confers upon a reader...the power of so perusing any book that the ideas it contains, shall appear to his mind, precisely as they did to that of its author'. The pedagogical implications of this 'must be great' and AJB would like an hour of WW's time to discuss it further.
1 doc. |
21 Nov 1860 |
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21
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Marian Bell to William Whewell. MB is seeking WW's help in supporting her brother's [Alexander Shaw] attempt to be appointed to the vacant Examinership on Surgery at London University.
1 doc. |
12 Mar 1849 |
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22
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Friedrich Eduard Beneke to William Whewell.
1 doc. |
05 Jun 1842 |
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23
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Friedrich Eduard Beneke to William Whewell.
1 doc. |
13 Nov 1842 |
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24
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Friedrich Eduard Beneke to William Whewell.
1 doc. |
08 Apr 1845 |
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25
|
Friedrich Eduard Beneke to William Whewell.
1 doc. |
23 Jul 1845 |
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26
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Christopher Benson to William Whewell. How far is WW 'inclined to consider the admission of Dissenters into the Universities? Are there many with his opinion. CB has read WW's pamphlet ['Additional Remarks on Some Parts of Mr. Thirwall's Two Letters on the Admission of Dissenters to Academical Degrees', 1834].
1 doc. |
18340601 |
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27
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Jons Jacob von Berzelius to William Whewell.
1 doc. |
03 May 1833 |
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28
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Jean Baptiste Biot to William Whewell.
1 doc. |
05 Jan 1851 |
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29
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Jean Baptiste Biot to William Whewell.
1 doc. |
05 Jun 1851 |
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31
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George Birkbeck to William Whewell. GB had great pleasure conveying WW's literary project to the library of the London Mechanics' Institution. GB was very impressed with WW's discussion of vapour and its relation to the atmosphere - 'a mighty 'watering machine''.
1 doc. |
16 Apr 1833 |
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32
|
William Radcliffe Birt to William Whewell. Fragment of a letter discussing WR's work in meteorology and the need for a concise and standardised method of observing and recording observations.
1 doc. |
24 Jun 1835 |
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33
|
Auguste Littrow Bischoff to William Whewell.
1 doc. |
04 Aug 1864 |
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34
|
Adam and Charles Black to William Whewell. They will be happy to repint Mackintosh's dissertation [James Mackintosh, 'Dissertation of the Progress of Ethical Philosophy' with Preface by WW, 1836]. Could WW add a few notes to give it some new distinguishing feature.
1 doc. |
10 Dec 1861 |
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35
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John Stuart Blackie to William Whewell. Thanks WW for his Plato ['The Platonic Dialogues for English Readers' 1860-61]: 'I am very glad that you have taken up Plato, in the way you have done. That...blundering blockhead Burgess [George Burgess], with his tasteless and unintelligible jargon called English, has done a great deal of harm to the divine philosophers'.
1 doc. |
18 Nov 1861 |
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36
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William Blackwood and Sons to William Whewell. After receiving WW's paper upon English Hexameters, WB and Sons mentioned his name to the translator of the two books of the Iliad, who in return gave 'his authority to convey you his name' - Mr Lockhart.
1 doc. |
08 May 1846 |
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37
|
William Blackwood and Sons to William Whewell. Proof of WW's third letter upon English Hexameters.
1 doc. |
16 Sep 1846 |
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38
|
Henry M D de Blainville to William Whewell.
1 doc. |
11 Mar 1837 |
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39
|
Joseph Williams Blakesley to William Whewell. JWB is in reasonably good health but will not be able to lecture if 'my enemy, inflamation of the membrane lining the windpipe, should come on'. JWB describes his journey to Germany. Classical literature is studied with much greater effect in England than in Germany.
1 doc. |
01 Aug 1835 |
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40
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Joseph Williams Blakesley to William Whewell. JWB has told Hudson that pupils who are Questionists are allowed 'edibles' to the amount of 12 shillings, four times a week, on their own orders: and Senior Sophs three times a week in the same manner. In a couple of years very few students will not habitually dine in hall. .
1 doc. |
06 Nov 1843 |
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41
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Miles Bland to William Whewell. Would WW take a proof of an [unspecified] advirtisement up to George Peacock for the courier.
1 doc. |
1 Nov 1828 |
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42
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Octavian Blewitt to William Whewell. Chevalier Bunsen and the Committeee of the Royal Literary Fund would like WW to attend their anniversary dinner.
1 doc. |
13 May 1847 |
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43
|
Octavian Blewitt to William Whewell. OB sends the Reporters notes of WW's speech for his perusal and correction.
1 doc. |
17 May 1847 |
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44
|
Charles James Blomfield to William Whewell. Davies Gilbert has consulted CJB regarding the subjects to include for the Bridgewater Treatises. He has recommended WW to do the branch on astronomy, for which he would expect him to recieve six or seven hundred pounds.
1 doc. |
04 Sep 1830 |
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45
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Charles James Blomfield to William Whewell. CJB has not time to look over the whole MS of WW's Bridgewater Treatise ['Astronomy and General Physics Considered with Reference to Natural Theology', 1833]: 'much harm may be done to the cause of Revealed Religion by the use of weak and untenable reasonings, and the injudicious pressing of questionable analogies'. CJB would be willing to read a part of the treatise which WW thinks is representative of the whole. WW should not make his account of undulations a material part of his argument.
1 doc. |
20 Oct 1832 |
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46
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Charles James Blomfield to William Whewell. CJB has read the remainder of WW's manuscript for his Bridgewater Treatise with 'great satisfaction'. .
1 doc. |
28 Dec 1832 |
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47
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Charles James Blomfield to William Whewell. CJB has received WW's Bridgewater Treatise: 'I may very safely thank you for the service which you have rendered to the cause of Religion'.
1 doc. |
16 Mar 1833 |
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48
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Charles James Blomfield to William Whewell. CJB has now read over half of WW's Bridgewater Treatise with great pleasure. The Archbishop talks about it in the strongest terms and 'thinks it is the most important work we have had for a long time'.
1 doc. |
26 Mar 1833 |
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49
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Charles James Blomfield to William Whewell. Mr and Mrs Blomfield enjoyed their visit to Cambridge and look forward to WW and Cordelia Whewell staying with them on friday. .
1 doc. |
11 Jul 1842 |
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50
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Charles James Blomfield to William Whewell. CJB thanks WW (in the form of a hexameter) for his hexameters translated from German ['Verse Translations from the German', 1847].
1 doc. |
1847 |
|
51
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John James Blunt to William Whewell. JJB thanks WW for the copy of his Sermons ['Sermons Preached in the Chapel of Trnity College', 1847]. The publication of them affords 'proof to this country that our system here is sound': those in high places seek religious as well as intellectual improvement in their students. .
1 doc. |
11 Dec 1847 |
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52
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John James Blunt to William Whewell. Thanks WW for 'the notice you have been good enough to take of me and my sermon'.
1 doc. |
27 May 1853 |
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55
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Joseph Bosworth to William Whewell. The Queen has requested, through Archdeacon Tatham, an authentic Memoir of the late John Camden Neild. Does WW know anything about his career at Cambridge - JB thinks he was at Trinity College. The 'Works of King Alfred the Great' may not come out due to want of support.
1 doc. |
15 Dec 1852 |
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56
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Joseph Bosworth to William Whewell. Presents Trinity College Library - through WW - a copy of 'King Alfred's Description of Europe, Africa etc' [A literal translation by JB of 'King Alfred the Great, a Description of Europe and the Voyages of Othere and Walfstan' 1855]. JB hopes to send the library a copy of the whole of Orosius ['King Alfred's Anglo-Saxon Version of the Compendious History of the World by Orosius', 1859]. JB writes to WW since he is 'the most influential member of the University', to help preserve a University Statute (IX Chapter of 2 Elizabeth) concerning the qualifications for a clergyman to be admitted to any College and the qualifications expected for the Degree of Bachelor of Divinity. JB has great confidence in the Statute since he graduated under it.
1 doc. |
20 Mar 1858 |
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57
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Joseph Bosworth to William Whewell. JB is to be a candidate for the Anglo-Saxon Professorship at Oxford University. Although he has the support of the Heads of Houses, the election is by congregation, in which Fellows of Colleges preponderate, and therefore JB is not certain of the outcome.
1 doc. |
1858 |
|
58
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Joseph Bosworth to William Whewell. JB has eight thousand pounds he wishes to dispose of to promote Anglo Saxon Literature. Could he meet WW to discuss this subject when he visits Cambridge.
1 doc. |
29 Mar 1864 |
|
59
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Nathaniel Bowditch's children to William Whewell. The family of the late Nathaniel Bowditch are contacting NB's correspondents in Europe requesting copies of their works for the Bowditch (free public) Library.
1 doc. |
27 Sep 1838 |
|
60
|
George Hull Bowers to William Whewell. GHB trying to persuade WW to speak at the opening their new chapel.
1 doc. |
15 May 1862 |
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61
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Joseph Bowles to William Whewell. Will WW become a member of a memorial committee to help secure a suitable 'Tribute of Respect to record the tone of learning, and the high and amicable qualities of which his late Royal Highness, the former president of the Royal Society, was so pre-eminently distinguished'.
1 doc. |
24 May 1843 |
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62
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John Bowring to Douglas Kinnaird. JB will try and give DK the replies to the queries contained in WW's letter. JB is in no doubt that the independence of Greece over Turkey has been established. The subscriptions obtained from the London Greek Committee have been exhausted. Weapons, skilled people and relevant literature have been sent over. Everything goes via Lord Byron or Col. Stanhope. The greatest assistance we can give is via subscriptions. .
1 doc. |
01 Dec 1823 |
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63
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John Bowring to William Whewell. An application has been made to JB for him to help translate WW's Treatise on Mechanics into Chinese. He personally could not comply with their wishes but recognises the need to enlighten the Chinese mind. JB has asked Mr Edkins - 'one of the intelligent and instructed among the Missionaries to give us some account of his project'. Could WW originate a subscription for this purpose [WW's 'Elementary Treatise on Mechanics'translated into Chinese in 1867 by J. Edkins and Le Shen-laa].
1 doc. |
27 Jun 1855 |
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64
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Robert Greene Bradley to William Whewell. Will WW read the enclosed [see JPB to RGB, 28 Jan 1839] and give his opinion as to whether RGB's friend - J.P. Burrell (a Barrister, Bencher and Police Magistrate at Hatton Garden) - is right or wrong?.
1 doc. |
28 Jan 1839 |
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65
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J P Burrell to Robert Greene Bradley. JPB gives his theory on the differences between acute and grave pitches, and the different rapidity of vibrations of the particles of air. He thinks the Bridgewater Treatise (Vol. 3, p.122) has got it wrong - the gravest pitch should be 32 vibrations in a second and not 80, while the most acute should be 8192 vibrations [the no. of vibrations doubles per octave and the full range of musical sound is 8 octaves] as opposed to 1000. .
1 doc. |
28 Jan 1839 |
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66
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M Bradford to William Whewell. Could WW give him a reference which refers to the comet MB and the community of Halifax witnessed on the 28 February 1843. .
1 doc. |
04 Feb 1852 |
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67
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N Braschmann to William Whewell. The delay in translating WW's 'very important work' [History and Philosophy of the Inductive Scieneces] into Russian has been down to not finding a competent translator. If no publisher comes forward to publish them, NB thinks it more than probable that the University will undertake the expense provided a translation is made.
1 doc. |
31 Dec 1846 |
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68
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Jane Neville, Baroness Braybrooke to William Whewell. JNB and Lord Braybrooke would like WW to come and spend a few days with them to meet Lady Cornwallis.
1 doc. |
26 Mar 1840 |
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69
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Jane Neville, Baroness Braybrooke to William Whewell. JNB and Lord Braybrooke will be very happy to see WW on the 8th April. .
1 doc. |
29 Mar 1840 |
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70
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R Neville, 3rd Baron Braybrooke to William Whewell. Thanks WW for a small volume of translations ['Verse Translations from the German', 1847]. RNB is pleased that very little mischief was done by the Trinity fire.
1 doc. |
21 May 1847 |
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71
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R Neville, 3rd Baron Braybrooke to William Whewell. Thanks WW for the 'little volume of poems'.
1 doc. |
15 Jul 1847 |
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72
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R Neville, 3rd Baron Braybrooke to William Whewell. The palace at Newmarket was occuped by George IV and later the Duke of York. It is now the residence of the Duke of Rutland but RN does not know whether he purchased the premises or holds a lease. The old buildings were decaying and it was therefore decided to break the establishment up.
1 doc. |
25 Jul 1847 |
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73
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John Sherren Brewer to William Whewell. JSB was aware that WW had a chapter on Roger Bacon in his Inductive Philosophy ['The Philosophy of the Inductive Sciences, Founded upon their History', 1840]. WW's account has generated much of the current interest in Roger Bacon's philosophy. JSB is not at present employed on the Opus Majus, but the 'Opus Tertium' and 'Opus Minus'. The MS of these are very rare. Bacon frequently refers to the Opus Majus which is found in the Trinity MS, and JSB would like to see it. He has discovered a 'fine MS of this work at [Badby]'.
1 doc. |
1 Nov 1843 |
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74
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David Brewster to William Whewell. DB intended to call upon WW to thank him for his formulae, which he will first place among the notices.
1 doc. |
19 Jan 1825 |
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75
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David Brewster to William Whewell. DB does not know what Mr Weiss's [probably Christophr S. Weiss, 1780-1856] motions are. He is glad to hear that WW is a candidate for the Mineralogical chair at Cambridge: 'This charming science has hitherto been a mere piece of quackery in the hands of Charlatons'. DB has begun his treatise on Mineralogy. He has several of Weiss's papers in Edinburgh. .
1 doc. |
08 Jul 1825 |
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76
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David Brewster to William Whewell. Sends No. 127 of the Edinburgh Journal of Science to WW. Could WW send him the Proceedings of the Cambridge Society. It would give DB great pleasure to receive a paper occasionally from WW or his friends at Cambridge.
1 doc. |
17 Mar 1827 |
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77
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David Brewster to William Whewell. DB has read WW's essay on Mineralogical Classification with much pleasure, and considers it a vast improvement upon Mohs's system [Friedrich Mohs] - 'a provisional system which will soon disappear'. Hopes WW will now devote his time to examining the properties of individual minerals. Could WW send him any unknown information on Isaac Newton to assist him with his biography.
1 doc. |
25 Sep 1829 |
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78
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David Brewster to William Whewell. DB is 'much obliged to you for your account of Goethe's theory of Refraction, and I cannot conceive how a man in a sane state of mind could publish such nonsense'. DB will be happy to publish WW's observations on Dr Lardners [Dionysius Lardner] Mechanics. Pleased to hear George Airy is giving lectures on polarisation. DB is working hard on this subject: 'I have discussed the mathematical law which expresses the quantity of light polarised either by reflexion or refraction of any angle of incidence', and a new phenomena of polarisation he calls 'Elliptical'. DB thinks he has proved that 'pressure is the cause of double refraction in regular crystals'.
1 doc. |
30 May 1830 |
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79
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David Brewster to William Whewell. DB will be happy now, and at all time, to publish any thing WW may send him. He wrote the decline of science article in the Quarterly: 'I did hope that there would not be a man of science in England that would not thank me for having expounded his cause, and exposed myself to the power of Government from the single motive of advancing the interests of Science'. WW is very mistaken in charging the Reviewer with 'entire ignorance of everything belonging to English universities'. DB spends the rest of the letter defending his position.
1 doc. |
04 Nov 1830 |
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80
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David Brewster to Richard Neville. DB is sorry he did not send him the letters (copies) of Isaac Newton earlier, but wanted to check them against the proof sheets from the printers. DB has sent RN the sheets which discuss 'the subject of Newton's supposed derangement', and because of the delicate nature of the subject would appreciate any suggestions RN and WW may offer.
1 doc. |
14 Apr 1831 |
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81
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David Brewster to William Whewell. WW will no doubt have heard of the vacancy in the Chair of Natural Philosophy at Edinburgh University: Would WW give a testimonial with reference to DB's scientific labours. He has just discovered lines produced in the spectrum of the action of the Earth's atmosphere. It will be curious 'to determine the specific absorbent action of the atmospheres of all the planets and satellites'. .
1 doc. |
19 Nov 1832 |
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82
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David Brewster to William Whewell. Thanks WW for his letter and treatise on Astronomy and General Physics ['Astronomy and General Physics Considered with Reference to Natural Theology', 1833]: 'I never derived more pleasure or instruction from any other book'. DB's time has been totally occupied in sorting out the affairs of his late brother-in-law, Sir Macpherson of Belville. Thanks WW for his account of DB's labours in the Mineralogical Report ['Report on the Recent Progress and Present State of Mineralogy', Report of the First and Second Meetings of the BAAS, 1832]. Wishes WW would be asked to produce a BAAS Report on modern discoveries respecting light. .
1 doc. |
10 Jun 1833 |
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83
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David Brewster to William Whewell. A young friend of DB's, Mr Jas. Forbes, wishes to visit Cambridge and make WW's aquaintance. DB has sent Lord Braybrooke [Richard Neville] the fly sheets to his biogrphy of Isaac Newton, and hopes both Braybrooke and WW will favour him with any comments. Trusts WW and some of his Cambridge friends will be attending the BAAS meeting at York.
1 doc. |
16 Apr 1831 |
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84
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Thomas Edward Briarly to William Whewell. TEB sends WW two of his publications [concerning Lieut. Drummond's mathematics for deciding the boundary changes accompanying the 1832 Reform Bill - 'Two Letters to Lord John Russell on the Classification of Boroughs, 1832]: 'I had no imagination that such great names as those of Herschel[,] Airy and Professor Walker were to be arranged in defence of Lieut Drummond's principle. If you will do me the favour of looking at my own plan, you will perceive that I hve taken a very different view of the matter from either Drummond or any other person'. TEB would like WW's opinion on this principle. TEB thinks there is some mistake about Professor Airy's sanction of Lieut. Drummond's plan: 'It is easy to put a very limited question and fancy it applies very generally'.
1 doc. |
22 Feb 1832 |
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85
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Thomas Edward Briarly to William Whewell. TEB is pleased that WW agrees with his conjecture regarding Airy [see TEB to WW, 22 Feb 1832: Airy's approbation of Lieut. Drummond's principle for working out the boundary changes in the 1832 Reform Bill]. Since the subject will be heard again in the House of Lords, TEB will calculate a list of 100 boroughs along his own plan. Lord John Russell believes that Airy and Herschel think nothing can be devised as good as Drummond's whole system. D's 'mistake is strengthened by another inapplicable principle that the whole is the sum of the parts. This is true of abstract qualities but not of the bulk occupied jointly and separately by real substances', which Drummond places in juxtaposition. He assumes a direct ratio of wealth and population. TEB tries to prove that this is wrong with an algebraic demonstration.
1 doc. |
03 Mar 1832 |
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86
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Thomas Edward Briarly to William Whewell. Could WW supply him with information concerning a Trinity man called John William Watson. Sends WW a copy of the Morning Post newspaper of Feb. 28th containing an article on the 'Corn Laws': 'I have only taken one sample for the proof of the paradox - the more corn, the more pasture produced or its equivalent for sheep and cattle'. From the Humber to Sherborne in Dorset runs a line of lime stone hills. If you take the duties on cottons (from the Prussian tariffs), it is clear that none but the finest manufactured article can enter the German Union. .
1 doc. |
02 Mar 1839 |
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87
|
Robert Brickel to William Whewell. The Committee have decided that Horrock's Parish Church shall be beautiful with a suitably designed chancel and enlarged by 30 pew sittings. Will WW give them his subscription. RB is hoping for a sermon or meeting in Preston on the subject of Religion and Science. They would appreciate WW's counsel as to the language to be used for an inscription on a tablet (memorial for Jeremiah Horrocks).
1 doc. |
14 Sep 1858 |
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88
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Robert Brickel to William Whewell. Thanks WW for his helpful note. RB read WW's 'History of the Inductive Sciences' a few years ago but does not remember him mentioning [Jeremiah] Horrock. RB names some of the well known patrons subscribing to the Horrocks Memorial Fund, and would like WW to agree to add his name. If RB can find more than a hundred pounds he would like to purchase a field and call it Horrocks field.
1 doc. |
1858 |
|
89
|
Benjamin Collins Brodie to William Whewell. Thanks WW for the 'new edition of his 'Non-Plurality of Worlds'' ['Of the Plurality of Worlds: An Essay', 3rd edn., 1854]. BCB is neither convinced by WW's argument on the one hand or David Brewster's on the other.
1 doc. |
03 Aug 1854 |
|
90
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Benjamin Collins Brodie to William Whewell. BCB has just finishd reading WW's introduction to his Elements of Morality ['The Elements of Morality, Including Polity', 2 Vols., 1845] when the Whewells present arrived: 'It seems an important addition to my library'.
1 doc. |
14 Oct 1854 |
|
91
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Benjamin Collins Brodie to William Whewell. BCB would like the opportunity to see WW for a 'few minutes' either today or tomorrow.
1 doc. |
20 Jun 1859 |
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92
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Benjamin Collins Brodie to William Whewell. BCB would like WW to be present at a Council meeting of the Royal Society next Thursday.
1 doc. |
15 Oct 1859 |
|
93
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Benjamin Collins Brodie to William Whewell. Thanks WW for his letter and by anticipation his promised volume.
1 doc. |
23 May 1862 |
|
94
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Benjamin Collins Brodie to William Whewell. BCB has seen what WW has said respecting Samuel Clarke and Coleridge. Clarke's moral philosophy does not seem much clearer than 'his apriori theological argument'. BCB does not make much of Coleridge's 'dreamy speculations on moral and theological subjects', and is pleased WW is in the same predicament. BCB is reading WW's lectures with the greatest interest ['Lectures on the History of Moral Philosophy', new edn., 1862]. Those engaged in the pursuit of the moral sciences would be better if they first had their mind trained in the physical sciences: 'They would I apprehend be there taught to be more exact in their observation of facts, more careful in their inductions and at the same time acquire a greater precision in the use of words'. .
1 doc. |
21 Jun 1862 |
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95
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Benjamin Collins Brodie to William Whewell. BCB returns to WW a copy of John W. Lubbock's letter, but would like it back tomorrow so he can send it to the Astronomer Royal.
1 doc. |
12 Jun 1858 |
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96
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William Bromet to William Whewell. While WB was in Mainz last year armed with WW's treatise on 'German Architecture' ['Architectural Notes on German Churches', new edn., 1835], he became aquainted with the architect Mr Wetter. He was very impressed with WW's treatise and 'begged me to present you with his work on the History of printing'. WB has also given a work by Wetter on Theatre Buildings to the Institute of British Architects: Wetter is anxious that the above works get reviewed - can WW help out.
1 doc. |
28 Jun 1837 |
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97
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William Bromet to William Whewell. WB wonders whether WW has any obsrvations or questions he would like raised for discussion at Metz next month. If so WB will be happy to take them to M. de Caumont. .
1 doc. |
23 May 1846 |
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98
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Edward Bromhead to William Whewell. EB heard from his brother who intends to return to College immeadiately and probably reside permanently in College. EB does not think a College life 'prudent or beneficial' for his brother. EB looks froward to the new Transactions of the Cambridge Philosophical Society especially if there is a memoir on the mathematics of Political Economy. .
1 doc. |
29 Apr 1829 |
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99
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Edward Bromhead to William Whewell. Thanks WW for his attention to George Green's memoir. GG is keen to meet WW's 'views in every particular', and if thought necessary to come to Cambridge: 'Would it be too great a favour to request that you would become gardner in this pruning'. EB read the 'little book' WW sent him: 'The book is exactly what I have long wished to see - It set me musing, and I was struck with the parallel state of the progress of scientific Political Economy. There is room for Galileos. The key to progress seems by comparison to consist in giving technical names to complex ideas capable of mathematical definition'. .
1 doc. |
20 Nov 1832 |
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100
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Edward Bromhead to William Whewell. EB returns George Greens memoir - 'altered and freely cut down, as yourself and Mr Murphy were so obliging as to suggest'. EB considers WW 'our sole calm examiner' on Political Economy, but 'was disheartened by 'Definitions come last', yet this is merely to say, that analyisis precedes synthesis'. Under the title of 'Herisies' EB gives two kinds of Rent - 1. Of consumption and 2. Rent from capital invested: 'The equation has two roots, like the two spheroids of equilibrium, one the active speculating Rent of high let land, and the other the passive slovenly Rent of land underlet - the conditions of the Labouring Class depends on the number of farms sufficiently large to employ labourers. Parishes split into pieces are always at war with the poor, as each man is sufficient to labour his own land, and does not employ a labourer without compulsion'. EB claims that the word capital should be replaced with 'Productive Power, land, labour, machinery, money etc, all having distinct 'Laws' - It is incorrect to think labour alone productive'.
1 doc. |
1 Feb 1833 |
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101
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Edward Bromhead to William Whewell. George Green is very grateful to WW for all the 'presswork' he carried out for GG's maiden memoir. Another memoir is ready - could WW say whether it would be favourably received? EB Thanks WW for his pamphlet which he read twice 'and consider the most decisive thing of the kind, that I ever met with - We want the whole of Logic thoroughly sifted in the same manner '. EB commends WW's warnings about premature definitions - the best illustration is found in Botany where Linneous refused to define his natural families prematurely. Even in mathematics definition follows knowledge.
1 doc. |
01 Apr 1833 |
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102
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Edward Bromhead to William Whewell. George Green and EB are grateful to WW for all his help with the printing and distribution of GG's memoir. Sends WW another memoir to WW by GG: 'the Cambridge Transactions ought to lead all others in matehmatics. I am convinced that the want of them is deemed an affectation - You are right about practical analysis - the age of the Warings, the Quixotic Chivary of science is gone for ever'. George Peacock's algebra - '(to use a comparison) he still begins the Differential Calculus from Velocities'. Richard Jones 'is certainly a very able man - his idea of the labouring Classes gradually coming under the domain of Capitalists, is striking and true'. The 'moral machinery' of industrialisation 'has not kept pace with the population'. WW's Bridgewater Treatise 'is very striking - It certainly places the whole affair on a new and solid foundation'. For EB 'the Belief of a Deity from a view of nature is a matter of impression - what brings direct conviction to my own mind would appear absurd to another, and I never could announce it without hesitating'.
1 doc. |
29 Apr 1833 |
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103
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Edward Bromhead to William Whewell. Thanks WW for his kindness towards his Botanical Papers and would like them returned. EB has read WW's new work [probably 'The History of the Inductive Sciences, from the Earliest to the Present Times', 3vols., 1837]: 'there is a quiet beneficient tone about it which I like much'. EB has a problem with WW's philosophy of induction in classification: 'What Characters are to be deemed Physiological? No doubt large natural assemblages will be found to have important unities of structure, and the larger the more important - but this importance cannot be estimated apriori - Why is not the Root important?' .
1 doc. |
05 May 1837 |
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104
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Edward Bromhead to William Whewell. Letter of introduction for the Rev. Dr. Wayland [Francis Wayland 1796-1865], Professor of Moral Philosophy at Brown University, on a mission to study academical institutions in Europe.
1 doc. |
27 Nov 1840 |
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105
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Edward Bromhead to William Whewell. Thanks WW for his letter which contains many excellent schemes. EB has been with Babbage and Herschel: 'we have had a kind of committee of notation' and 'have agreed also upon a Digest, of which you must take part. It consists of a collection of all known algebraic results, arranged in the order of Deduction'. .
1 doc. |
1 Jan 1817 |
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106
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B Bronwin to William Whewell. BB would like his theory of tides published in the Memoirs of the Cambridge Philosophical Society: 'I need not tell you that Laplace's theory has not superseded the necessity of another'. BB gives a short critique of Laplaces's theory: 'He neglects the vertical displacement in the value of Sp, and retains it in the equation of continuity where it ought also to be neglected...To make Sp a complete variation is the thing wanted in this theory'.
1 doc. |
13 Nov 1848 |
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107
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A H Brotherton to William Whewell. On a diagram expressing an equation which purports to square the circle. .
1 doc. |
01 Apr 1859 |
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108
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A H Brotherton to William Whewell. AHB's attempt to inscribe a regular Heptagon in a given circle.
1 doc. |
21 Aug 1860 |
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109
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Charles Brooke to William Whewell. CB is keen to establish the feasibility of his Registering Apparatus, and would be very happy to offer WW any assistance he can for 'putting it in action'. CB would like to superintend its construction as he has done for the Royal Observatory. .
1 doc. |
14 Aug 1847 |
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110
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Charles Brooke to William Whewell. CB has sketched out a plan for a magnetic observatory and gives a description of some of the technical features necessary for the building. Also enclosed is an estimate of the magnetic and meteorological instruments with apparatus for their automatic registration by photography.
1 doc. |
19 Aug 1847 |
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111
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Charles Brooke to William Whewell. The instruments [for the Magnetic Observatory] are likely to be ready by the end of October. CB has made some enquiries for an assistant to Mr. Glaisher, the superintendant of the Magnetic depatrment at Greenwich Observatory. A respectable assistant will not be got for much less than �120 per year. Glaisher 'observed that at that salary, they seldom kept long those who were worth keeping; and if they did remain there, it was only for the sake of retaining the name of 'Assistant at the Royal Observatory' as a stepping stone to something better'. Some final details to consider before the plan of the building is finally settled. .
1 doc. |
14 Sep 1847 |
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112
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Charles Brooke to William Whewell. CB wants his family to enjoy a little sea air while he works on WW's magnetic observatory. Since he has borne the costs for the apparatus so far on behalf of WW, he is finding it 'somewhat burdensome to my limited means'. Since CB's promised renumeration will shortly be before the Governmnet, could WW inform Prince Albert [as Chancellor] of his views respecting the importance of automatic registration in understanding the 'relations of terretrial magnetism, and requesting him to use his influence in my behalf'.
1 doc. |
27 Jun 1848 |
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113
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Charles Brooke to William Whewell. CB learned from Mr Thompson that the building [magnetic observatory] could be up by the end of this month. This would have suited CB. However he has recieved WW's letter informing him not to proceed at present. CB would not have troubled WW about prompt payment [see CB to WW, 27 Jun 1848] but his Professional practice has been compromised. All the amounts for the instrumensts will be ready in a fortnight when he will transmit to WW the remainder of the account. The final sum will not excede the original estimate. CB will write again respecting remuneration from the Government after he has spoken to George Airy.
1 doc. |
04 Jul 1848 |
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114
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Charles Brooke to William Whewell. Thanks WW for his cheque for �100. Colonel Sabine wants some registering apparatus to send to the Toronto observatory by the end of this month. Is it okay to give him one of WW's time-pieces and a mirror which he can replace in a month or so. To help CB get remuneration George Airy promises to report to the Government the success of his apparatus. John Herschel, Henry De La Beche and Colonel Sykes think the observatory at Kew ought to be under the auspices of Government and made a depot for meteorological science If such a plan took place CB would like a permanent situation.
1 doc. |
17 Jul 1848 |
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115
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Henry Brougham to William Whewell. Is the book WW mentioned the one on Natural Theology reviewed in the new Quarterly Review? HB thought WW spoke of it as a book on morals and general jurisprudence. .
1 doc. |
01 Jul 1844 |
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116
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Henry Brougham to William Whewell. When they last met HB should have mentioned Mr Rodrich - a young friend of HB's - who is going to Cambridge: 'I am anxious he should be made known to you whether he enters at Trinity or not'.
1 doc. |
25 Sep 1844 |
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117
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Henry Brougham to William Whewell. Thanks WW for his kind letter and hopes he really can can do something for him [one of the candidates for the Professorship at St. Andrews in Natural Philosophy]. The evidence [for the discovery of Neptune] is decisively in favour of John Couch Adams. .
1 doc. |
26 Jul 1847 |
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118
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Henry Brougham to William Whewell. HB has been looking at WW's Bridgewater Treatise and has a query regarding his discussion of the law of centripetal force. He would like a note of WW's analysis. .
1 doc. |
31 Sep 1849 |
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119
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Edward Harold Browne to William Whewell. Thanks WW for his letter. EHB did nor really expect WW to agree to write one of the essays [a proposed project on the evidence of a Divine creator]: 'Your writings, more or less in subjects of evidence, are so valuable, that I rejoice to hear more in the same direction are prepairing'.
1 doc. |
22 Aug 1860 |
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120
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Robert William Browne to William Whewell. Thanks WW for his 'little volume of Plato' [WW's trans. of Plato's 'Republic', 1862, or his 'Three Memoirs on Plato's Survey of the Sciences', 1855]. C. Kingsley told how indebted he was to RWB for introducing him to the study of Plato, 'which had contributed more than any other to his habits of accurate thought'. .
1 doc. |
18620524 |
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121
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William Brownlow. In ascertaining the longitude of a ship at sea WB questions the accuracy of chronometers and the lunar method: The moon should not be used as 'the clock' in the solution to finding longitude. The movements of the moon are so irregular and complicated to be useful. The motions of the sun in respect to the earth would be far superior. If this view is at all new or worth considering, WB will send WW details of his theory.
1 doc. |
06 Sep 1836 |
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122
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Robert Bruce to William Whewell. The Prince of Wales proposes to reach Madingley on the evening of Saturday the 19th. The Prince Consort hopes WW has not forgotten his promise to give the Prince some lectures on Political Economy.
1 doc. |
11 Oct 1861 |
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123
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Thomas Gamlen Bunt to William Whewell. TGB is sorry he did not mention to WW that Mr Norris had a wife. He does not think Norris would be willing to quit Bristol for Lowestoft for the salary WW offers. Norris's qualifications are perfectly adequate to pursue the work WW requires. TGB has advised him on his 'methods of tide discussion, which I had pursued, under your superintendence' [Bunt collected most of the tide observations along the south-west coast for WW]. .
1 doc. |
26 Jul 1847 |
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124
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Alexander Burnett to William Whewell. AB sends WW a few remarks on Latent heat to show 'that the doctrine hitherto inculcated on that subject is not altogether unassailable'. He describes an experiment involving two vessels, one containing a pint of water the other ten pints both at 40 degrees, and heated by a flame of equal power. The thermometer in the small vessel is always a ten times higher degree of heat than the thermometer in the larger vessel. Since the same amount of heat is going into the latter it must contain the same amount of heat: 'all the heat is there and all perfectly free or active - its activity only being at regards its influence on the thermometer'. If 'this vessel could be compressed into a tenth part of its space then the thermometer would indicate a five times higher degree of heat'. AB next turns his attention to steam and concludes: 'water when converted into steam expands into 1700 times as much; - a pint of water converted into steam occupying a space equal to 1700 pints. Now, - as the steam as well as the water at 212, here, you have on the one hand, a heating substance (the boiling water,) containing a pint of heat of 212 degrees, and on the other hand, a heating substance (the steam) containing 1700 pints of heat at 212; - and if these two substances are favourally incorporated in a gallon of water, is it to be wondered at, that the gallon in which the 1700 pints of heat not condensed, should posess the much greater quantity of heat - The wonder should rather be in this, - that the increase only of heat in the gallon of water in which the 1700 pints of steam it condensed, instead of being in the proportion of 1700 is only 1000, - a circumstance which to me went to prove not only that there is no heat in a state of latency in steam, but that in any given quantity of steam say a pint at 212 - there is less heat in point of volume than in an equal quantity of water at the same temperature, - in the proportion of 1700 to 1000'.
1 doc. |
25 Apr 1840 |
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125
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J Burns to William Whewell. Thanks WW for his 'stanzas of the ballad of the Spinning Maiden' which will be inserted in the next edition: 'I hear that the piece is to be extracted from my volume and given as a specimen in a magazine'.
1 doc. |
30 Jan 1845 |
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126
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George Butt to William Whewell. GB [a land surveyor] encloses a statement of a discovery he has made 'developing the Quadrature of the Circle'. Could WW give his opinion on its merits.
1 doc. |
21 Jan 1846 |
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127
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John Barrow to John W Lubbock. Mr Mitchell will comply with any directions or instructions WW may wish to give him [probably regarding tidal observations].
1 doc. |
|
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128
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John Barrow to J W Lubbock. JB presents his compliments to JWL and encloses a copy of a Report from the harbour attendant at Malta.
1 doc. |
25 May 1832 |
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129
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S Benton to William Whewell. An invitation to dinner with 'a small party of literary gentlemen'.
1 doc. |
30 Sep 1825 |
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130
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Frederick William Beechey to William Whewell. The Admiralty have grounded FWB this summer for the purpose of investigating the tides in the Irish Channel: 'The object is mainly to determine the direction and turn of the stream throughout the tide as compared with times of High and Low water'. FWB does not think he can do anything with the rise and fall in mid-channel, since 'the high and low waters throughout, nearly, occur about the time of the strongest stream' - could WW give any suggestions. Further, he finds that 'in a tide of 30 feet range, at the half interval between high and low water the flood will stand at less than 15 feet and at the half interval again (on the ebb) the water will again have passed the 15 feet, and stand at something lower. It is so with all the observations I have...is this in accordance with your observation?'.
1 doc. |
05 May 1845 |
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131
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Bonthason Bonsonyingui to William Whewell.
1 doc. |
14 Jan 1859 |
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132
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Alexandre Brongniart to William Whewell.
1 doc. |
30 Aug 1833 |
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