The Cambridge Companion to John Herschel

The first-ever comprehensive account of John Herschel's life, work and legacy, shedding new light on the history of Victorian science.

Stephen Case (Edited by), Lukas M. Verburgt (Edited by)

9781009237673, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 9 May 2024

304 pages
22.9 x 15.1 x 1.7 cm, 0.46 kg

'This new volume does an excellent job of showing how varied and wide-ranging Herschel's efforts were, while always retaining the core thread of his astronomical interests.' Theresa Levitt, Journal for the History of Astronomy

It has been said that being scientific in Victorian England meant to be as much like John Herschel as possible. This volume shows readers what it meant to be John Herschel (1792-1871), one of England's most prominent polymaths. Drawing on his published oeuvre and recent scholarship, as well as an immense amount of surviving archival material and correspondence, these essays present the first ever comprehensive account of Herschel's life, work, and legacy. From mathematics and astronomy, to philosophy and politics, the volume sheds new light on his crucial role in the history of Victorian science and explores a wide array of issues in the history of nineteenth-century culture, philosophy, mathematics, and beyond.

Introduction Stephen Case and Lukas M. Verburgt
1. John Herschel: a biographical sketch Emily Winterburn
2. The mathematical journey of John Herschel Tony Crilly
3. John Herschel's astronomy Stephen Case
4. Stargazer at world's end: John Herschel at the cape, 1833–1838 Steve Ruskin
5. Herschel's philosophy of science: the preliminary discourse on the study of natural philosophy and beyond Lukas M. Verburgt
6. Drawing observations together: John Herschel and the act of drawing in scientific observation Omar W. Nasim
7. Photology, photography, and actino-chemistry: the photographic work of John Herschel Kelley Wilder
8. Herschel's planet: earth in cosmic perspective Gregory A. Good
9. John Herschel and scientific standardization Edward J. Gillin
10. John Herschel and politics William J. Ashworth
11. John Herschel's methodology in the scientific community Charles H. Pence.

Subject Areas: History of engineering & technology [TBX]