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Document number: 6359
Date: 27 Nov 1850
Recipient: HERSCHEL John Frederick William
Author: TALBOT William Henry Fox
Collection: Univ of Texas at Austin Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center
Collection number: MO547
Last updated: 30th April 2012

Sir J. Herschel

Lacock Abbey, Chippenham
Nov. 27/50

Dear Sir,

Allow me to offer my congratulations on your appointment to the Mastership of the Mint which as a recognition of the claims of science on the part of government is an event of national interest, and the recollection that the same office was formerly held by Newton <1> makes it doubly gratifying.

Believe me yours ever truly
H. F. Talbot

I should have written sooner but I felt uncertain of the truth of the rumours till Lord Lansdowne <2> mentioned it to me today. I observe you are one of the Commissioners for enquiring into Cambridge University. <3> I hope judicious reforms will be introduced.

Notes:

1. Sir Isaac Newton (1642–1727), mathematician, was appointed Master of Mint in 1699 and remained so until his death.

2. Henry Petty Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne (1780–1863), MP, WHFT’s uncle.

3. Herschel was a member of the Royal Commission appointed in 1850 to review the courses of study at Oxford and Cambridge Universities.

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