What a difference a 'dear' makes

11 Aug 2011

This summer I have had the opportunity to take up an internship at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, working on the Maskelyne collection that was acquired by the Museum from his descendants a few years ago. Amongst the many aspects of the research I have enjoyed has been time to do one of my favourite things: Reading Other People's Letters. Letters can be so wonderfully revealing of character and relationship as well as records of events, thoughts, hopes and plans. This post is about a couple of illuminating and contrasting letters between the two key members of the Board of Longitude in the late eighteenth century, Nevil Maskelyne and Sir Joseph Banks.

The first was written in October 1775, from Maskelyne to Banks, in the early years of their friendship. It opens with thanks for Banks's information on the rocks that Maskelyne had brought back from Schiehallion in 1774: "I am very happy in finding your opinion so clearly in favor of Schehalliens being a Virgin Venus never submitted to the embraces of Vulcan, the God of Fire: the more estimable, & more attractive on that account!" It continues in a chatty, friendly tone, on the topics of rocks, problems with the equatorial instruments at the Observatory and the instrument makers who are attempting to deal with them. He hopes to see Banks when the Committee next meets to report on the instruments, and finishes with a confident flourish: "I shall do myself the pleasure to call on you the first morning in my power, & shall beg a sight of your Chameleon." (The Committee here was one set up by the Board of Visitors of the Royal Observatory.)

In both of these sentences are glimpses of who these men are, both in status and to each other: Maskelyne, the current year's winner of the Copley medal for 'weighing the world' at Schiehallion, and Banks, the famous collector of new and extraordinary botanical specimens from the edges of the known world, are sharing a smutty joke! One is happily expecting a warm welcome and intriguing conversation from the other at the soonest opportunity. But despite this auspicious beginning, their camaraderie did not last; at least, there is no other letter in this collection of correspondence covering 30 years that evokes such warmth and affection.

Jumping nine years ahead to the second letter, Banks, having become the President of the Royal Society in 1778, has survived an attempt in February 1784 by the 'mathematical faction' to depose him. Maskelyne had been a significant member of the breakaway group. In stark contrast to the open, confident and friendly tone of the first, this one is painfully polite, wanting, almost desperately, to ensure that Banks believes he is genuinely grateful both for the news and the effort to which Banks has gone. In August 1784, eleven days after his wedding at the age of 52, Maskelyne writes:

"I return you my thanks for the intelligence you have favored me with of his Majesty's pleasure relative to the disposal of the copies of the Greenwich observations in my favor, after the reservation of such copies as yourself as President with the Council of the Royal Society should chuse for presents; as also for the application you have been pleased to make to his Majesty thro' the Secretary of State which has produced this order."

He then discusses the details of the new arrangements, and finishes with further awkward formality:

"I am much obliged by your polite attention in sending your complements to Mrs Maskelyne, who desires me to testify her acknowledgements to you. We beg to offer our complements to Lady Banks & Miss Banks & shall be happy to wait upon you at the Royal Observatory whenever it may be agreable to you to travel this way." 

Perhaps the clumsy expression is due to the novelty of giving and receiving greetings on behalf of himself and his new wife; but I suspect it is more a result of the awkwardness of having to restore a vital working relationship after a major betrayal. Both letters finish with the same formulaic pattern, but while the first ends with "I remain, Dear Sir, your most obedient servant," the second has omitted the word "dear"; affection has been replaced with polite deference.

Maskelyne and Banks had to work closely together for another quarter of a century, and while they did so mostly on good terms there were other periods of conflict they were forced to navigate. The fluctuations in the relationship between these two central figures in the scientific world are fascinating to absorb through their correspondence, and I'm looking forward to learning more about them.