Description: 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.
Brief description: Stephen Case is a professor in the Department of Chemistry and the Geosciences, Olivet Nazarene University, and author of Making Stars Physical: the Astronomy of Sir John Herschel (University of Pittsburgh Press, 2018).
Review Quotes: '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