Lot 213: Herschel, Sir John Frederick William

Herschel, Sir John Frederick William. (1792-1871) Astronomer, chemist, and contributor to the science of optics and photography. Two Autograph Letters Signed: (1) four pages, Sept. 24, 1849, to Scotttish poet and dramatist Joanna Baillie (1762-1851) regarding her poem "Ahalya Baee," which was published in 1849 and subsequently republished as "Allahabad" in 1904. "Ahalya Baee...has delighted us exceedngly...tale of a jewel of woman & a queen tried sorely both by good and evil...delightful to see your poetical powers still so fresh & so fluent...." (2) Nov. 10, 1869 to an unidentified woman, "Both Lady Herschel and myself think you will like to see the mention of our son John in the next edition of my "Astronomy"...and show that the spirit of astronomy is not yet extinct in the family...[.He] worked very hard at that eclipse of 1868...." Estimated Value $600 - 800