[Letter to George F. FitzGerald from Sir Joseph Larmor],
Larmor, Joseph, b. 1857
Photography.
RDS Library & Archives
Copyright RDS Library & Archives. Publication, transmission or display is prohibited without formal written approval of the RDS Library & Archives.
Text
Larmor, Joseph, b. 1857.
Lodge, Oliver, 1851-1940.
Rayleigh, John William Strutt, 1842-1919.
Ether (Matter)
Ions.
Radiation.
Elasticity.
Glue.
Heaviside, Oliver, 1850-1925.
Hall effect.
Electromotive force.
Electromagnetism.
Double stars.
Helmholtz, Hermann von, 1821-1894.
Entropy.
Energy.
Zeeman, Pieter, 1865-1943.
Faraday, Michael, 1791-1867.
Lodge, Oliver,1851-1940.1851-1940.
Trouton, Frederick Thomas.
Haughton, Samuel.
Electrons.
Refraction.
Phosphorescence.
[Letter to George F. FitzGerald from Sir Joseph Larmor].
FitzGerald, George Francis, 1851-1901.
Steam-engines.
Temperature.
Everett, J. D. 1831-1904.
Ayrton, W. E.1847-1908.1847-1908.
Maxwell, James Clerk, 1831-1879.
Ionization of gases.
Kelvin, William Thomson, 1824-1907.
[Letter to George F. Fitzgerald from Sir Oliver Joseph Lodge],
Lodge, Oliver, 1851-1940
Universities and colleges
Science
[Letter to George F. Fitzgerald from Sir Oliver Joseph Lodge].
Electricity.
Surface tension.
1895
[Letter to George F. Fitzgerald from Sir Oliver Lodge]
Sherrington, Sir Charles Scott, 1857-1952
Handwritten letter from Sir Oliver Lodge, 2 Grove Park, Liverpool, to George F. Fitzgerald. Lodge expresses his enthusiasm for Fitzgerald to attend a ceremony, but notes that Fitzgerald should only come if it is convenient. He mentions that he meant to visit George before he left. Transcription: M d q, I waited until you had got back (I hoped that I might see you here) and then waited too long. As to October, your coming won't keep anybody away, nor is there any scarcity of hosts. If I didn't have you I dare say I would get somebody but I had much rather have you and I hope you will come. At the same time I don't like to press you to undergo the travel and expense of the journey for a ceremony which though intended to be impressive and [?] will be nothing to you Trinity College men. Your invitation is not however down to me. It is from Sherrington of the Physiology [Council?], as a representative Physicist that the [?] invitation comes and I had nothing to do with their list. You may take it that you are really wanted. but that no undue pressure is put upon you. You must [?] your own convenience and we shall be delighted to see you. I was sad for little George that I did not see him on the morning of (or soon before) my departure. I intended to write him a letter, but like too many intentions it went to have a last place. By the way, bring him with you to [?]! Give him my love, Yours, L.
4 August 1998
Fitzgerald, George Francis, 1851-1901. Correspondent
[Letter to George F. Fitzgerald from Sir Oliver Lodge],
Perry, John, 1850-1920.
Physical Society (Great Britain)
Pensions
Meetings
Handwritten letter from Sir Oliver Lodge, 21 Waverly Road, Liverpool, to George F. Fitzgerald, dated 13 October 1891. Lodge discusses plans for meetings held over three days. 1p. Transcription: "M d F I think we must try and manage the [?] in 3 batches of 32 each Fri morn., Fri afternoon and Saturday morn. Say 20 upstairs and 12 down. What think you of this? Shall you be up for the paper pass on 30th inst.? If not shall you send a substitute? I half think of going myself, but I can't easily get there till 2.30, and I should like to get away at 4, final day; second day 10-1 is all right. OL"
Lodge, Oliver, Sir, 1851-1940
RDS Library & Archives GFF collection of letters
1891
Light
Electromagnetic fields
Handwritten letter from Sir Oliver Lodge to George F. Fitzgerald, dated 29 February 1880. Lodge discusses scientific ideas regarding electromagnetic propagation and Ether. Lodge notes that he would like to read Fitzgerald's papers. The letter is incomplete. 2pp. Transcription: "My dear Fitzgerald, Many thanks for your kind and prompt reply. I see that I had run against a wrong idea respecting EM propagation. I thought Maxwell talking of its [r?] all through but I see now that it is only of the wave motion which the EM induction considers to be analogue to diffusion or heat conduction which of course has no [?]. I am very glad to have this connected. I should greatly like to see your paper (and any others you can show of yours) for I want to get hold of the EM theory of light as it is evidently the true one- but I have never set properly to it yet- moreover I am brutally ignorant of the ordinary undulatory theory at present. I shall not understand your paper therefore at first but I shall [?] to it. It has for some time seemed to me pretty clear that we have no direct way of acting on moving the ether. We can move matter and orderly forces and so the Ether which cling to it (après Fresnel Fizeante) or we can move more Electricity and electromotive forces, but then Electricty is certainly not Ether because it has no inertia. My whim, which I think you don't..."
1880
Tourmaline.
Electrometer.
A handwritten letter from Sir Oliver Lodge, 17 Parkhurst Road, to George F. Fitzgerald, dated 7 December 1879. Lodge discusses scientific ideas relating to Tourmaline, electrometers and induction. 2pp. Transcription: "Dear Fitzgerald, Peccari. I have been away from home and idle and though your letter was forwarded to me (after some delay) I have not answered it yet! I am much obliged to you for your suggestion regarding Tourmaline I haven't been able yet to think it over very rigidly but it is a notion worth attending to. But have you not made a slight misunderstanding about the current [ley?] crusts. It was when the temperature was crust that no unilation effect could be perceived. However I am immersed in an induction balance just now and have fuzzy ideas for everything else. With regard to the Electrometer the guard ring is [?] the [?] with Platinum and the disk Aluminium from which we may gather that Sir W.T. does not [?] much in sufficient diff of not being produced by contact to be perceived by an electrometer and quite right too I think. I believe that all parts of a conductor at which E is at rest are at once polarised whether it be homogenous or not, (whether the air in contact with the metals is at the same pol is another thing; and whether this is what is imparted to [?] is another [?] I am unable to think of just now). However, this is I suppose unorthodox and in general with regard to conduct EMF as somebody says in Geo [?] latest with regard to the Tides, "some fools say one thing and some another" but if I was to give my opinion it'd not be different. Yours very truly, Oliver Lodge"
1879
Stoney, G. Johnstone 1826-1911.
Handwritten letter from Sir Oliver Lodge, 17 Parkhurst Road, Liverpool, to George F. Fitzgerald, dated 9 November 1879. Lodge expresses his gratitude for Fitzgerald's comments on his book. He mentions a negative review he received and notes his sadness at the passing of James Clerk Maxwell. 2pp. Transcription: "My dear Fitzgerald, I am very much obliged to you for your kind criticisms on my little book. I like having the defects pointed out because then they can be corrected in a future edition. What you say about fig 49 and the pump values is quite true. I would have been better to draw the valve with that only I feared it would not be too clear. The siphon explanation is also I perceive a little hazy though it is the one I usually give to a junior class. I shall think it out more carefully in future. As to compounding ref. with acc. I am not prepared to acknowledge the incorrectness of this at the moment. But I will keep myself open on this point. It had never struck me as [questionable?] before. I am very glad that you and Mr Stoney like the book on the whole. I took a good deal of trouble with it. The review in Nature last week cut it up rather viciously but his criticisms are not fair nor true ones at all. They are mostly nonsense. How frightfully sad it is about Maxwell. It feels like a personal loss. Utterly irreparable. Yours very truly, Oliver Lodge"
Multiple integrals
Magnets
Handwritten letter from Sir Oliver Lodge, 2 Grove Park, Liverpool, to George F. Fitzgerald, dated 12 March 1899. Lodge discusses scientific and mathematical topics including magnets and the Stokes number. He includes an equation and a diagram in the letter. 2pp.
1899
Handwritten letter from Sir Oliver Lodge, 2 Grove Park, Liverpool, to George F. Fitzgerald, dated 19 February 1899 and arranging Fitzgerald's visit. 1p. Transcription: "M d Φ, I do hope you won't have to make such a rush of a visit. A room here is entering at your [d?]. Come on Friday if you can and don't think of leaving on Sat night. Leave on Sunday morning or Monday morning according to necessity. It's very good of you to come at all. I hope you won't have to rush it. From, Λ"
Opacity (Optics)
Handwritten letter from Sir Oliver Lodge, 2 Grove Park, Liverpool, to George F. Fitzgerald, dated 17 January 1899. Lodge asks Fitzgerald to look at his sheets on opacity of shift convection of Maxwell, which he will be including in his address to the Physical Society. 1p. Transcription: "M d Φ In my prospective address to the Phys Soc I am dealing with opacity of shift convection of Maxwell. Incidentally I have [h?] in your convection under your semi-dense object. Anyhow I enclose the 2 sheets landing on this point, which I will ask you to pass on to [s?] or to amend as seems best to you. I mean the bits scored in blue. From, Λ"
Largely illegible handwritten letter from Sir Oliver Lodge, 2 Grove Park, Liverpool, to George F. Fitzgerald, dated 15 February 1899. Lodge notes that he hears Fitzgerald was appointed a Commissioner on Education. 1p.
Handwritten letter from Sir Oliver lodge to George F. Fitzgerald, dated 9 January 1898 and discussing plans to meet up. 1p. Transcription: "M d Φ I think the date is Feb 4. I think its at 1 [l?] at 4pm. If this is wrong I wish you would drop in a postcard later on. Certainly I will swim with you with pleasure but I don't think my wife will come. She doesn't like water. I feel that she won't but if I find otherwise I will tip you a hint later on. No she can't family go. I am just back from London. A cross of [s?] lectures. Λ "
1898
Equations
Mathematics
Handwritten letter from Sir Oliver Lodge to George F. Fitzgerald, dated 12 January 1889 and including several equations. Lodge refers to Volume II of the Scientific Papers of James Clerk Maxwell. 2pp.
1889
Handwritten letter from Sir Oliver Lodge, 2 Grove Park, Liverpool, to George F. Fitzgerald, dated 8 February 1898. Lodge discusses his journey home from an event on the previous Sunday. 2pp. Transcription: "M d Φ Back again after Sunday adventures. I found there was no train on from Cherte on Monday am so I night at Holyhead and went on the Day Mail to Leicester via rugby getting there about 6pm. Unfortunately my Telegram written on Saturday evening at Trin 6th and taken charge of by Mr Dixon was never sent. I suppose the gate's porter did not take it. Consequently my wife was rampaging about all Sunday night after 3:30am thinking I was lost at sea. The telegram told her I should probably go direct to Leicester without passing through Liverpool but she never got it. I ought to have taken it myself to the office. It is always the safest plan. The passage was sufficiently quiet. You spent a lot of time and trouble on my visit. I wish I had given a letter [?] that Dublin Physicists would be present. I did not think of this possibility in time. From, Λ"
British Association for the Advancement of Science.
Electrolysis.
Handwritten letter from Sir Oliver Lodge, 21 Waverly Road, Liverpool, to George F. Fitzgerald, dated 28 May 1891. Lodge discusses an report on Electrolysis and meetings of the British Association for the Advancement of Studies. 1p. "Transcription: I expect to be in London on 12 June and can therefore [l?] [M?] on that day. M d Φ The Electrolysis Report will not be ready before the Cardiff meeting (Griffith knows this for he [p?] probably) and it will be short. The fact is I have too much of other work on hand just now and intent to resign the Secretaryship of Cardiff. My idea is that a few years lapse will be [?] then to a good start later when [?] has been done. You can report that I am responsible for it and if you don't mind it may be well to draw the money to cover some [s?] expenses in circulars arising at Leeds meeting which have been incurred. The excess can be repaid later. Yours, OL"
Lenses.
Rock salt.
Pupil (Eye).
Handwritten letter from Sir Oliver Lodge, 2 Grove Park, Liverpool, to George F. Fitzgerald, dated 10 January 1899 and discussing an experiment involving sending a beam of light through rock salt lenses and through a wound coil. The letter includes equations and a diagram. 1p.
Physical Society of London.
Coherer
Handwritten letter from Sir Oliver Lodge, 2 Grove Park, Liverpool, to George F. Fitzgerald, dated 16 January 1899. Lodge discusses his games at the Hoylake Club in Liverpool and his plan to give a presidential address at the Physical Society of London. 2pp. Transcription: "M d Φ We should greatly like to have you here for a week. I could find you [m?] [d?] of the Hoylake Club. I fear we have no other form of exercise there joy. Except knocking a bladder over a string in the hall. Which is a good game and makes one properly hot. But it happens that I have to be in London on 27 to 29 and probably Mrs L too. That's unfortunate not necessarily fatal but I feel you could do better with your time. Almost any other time it could be done well. On 8th Feb I have to give a Presidential address to the London Phys Soc so I must work at that. Also I have just connected a telegram to give a Friday every R.I. on 24th Feb. This [i?] be a job! I have said "Coherers". Got any tips for me? Will you come on 25th enroute somewhere? We might get back from London sooner. Λ I enclose a card in case any friend of yours in London is interested in [Richet M?]."
Thompson, Silvanus Phillips, 1851-1916.
Handwritten letter from Sir Oliver Lodge to George F. Fitzgerald. The letter is partially illegible but Lodge is discussing a sensitive subject that he notes Silvanus Phillips Thompson is concerned about. He offers for Arthur Prince Chattock to make a report. Transcription: "It is no concern of mine of course, and I send it to you because I know you so well. I know that when these mishaps occur allowances are made, but [?] seen to have [a?] on her, and girls are unduly sensitive" S.P.T. is more concerned but he has not mentioned [C?] [M?], so it is more discrete to read it to you and get you to act as you wish [p?] without divulging anything to him. The candidate of course is not told anything, nor must be. If you like Chattock could be asked to make a report on her late work. As a supplement to her [?]. I don't know anything about her myself. I go to the [E?] Hotel tomorrow. You will let me know if you are willing to see a confidential report for Chattock or would rather not. Λ"
Physics.
Largely illegible handwritten letter from Sir Oliver Lodge, 2 Grove Park, Liverpool, to George F. Fitzgerald, dated 4 August 1898 and on the subject of an abstract of a paper written by the physicist William Sutherland. 1p.
Fitzgerald, George Francis, 1851-1901
Thomson, J. J. 1856-1940.
Röntgen, Wilhelm Conrad, 1845-1923.
Waves.
Handwritten letter from Sir Oliver Lodge, 2 Grove Park, Liverpool, to George F. Fitzgerald, dated 1 February 1896. Lodge discusses the physics theories regarding propagation of longitudinal waves. He mentions the physicists J.J. Thomson, James Clerk Maxwell, Philipp Lenard and Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen. 2pp. Transcription: "M d Φ J.J. has a notion that by [dividing?] + and - charges amassed waves of similar size so as not to average up the propagation of molecules but to distribute the [u?] then Maxwell's equation allows a finite propagation of longitudinal waves. I don't like it when he takes bad equations without your recommendations. But he's likely to be right of course if he really has gone into it. It seems to me however that he's knocking his head on that bother of longitudinal propagation of electrostatic potential. We have got effect from sun + arc and em [fas?] lamps- but all are spurious. Light gets through thin aluminium [?]. I can't make out about Packer. I expect he's spurious too. See this weeks Electrician for my articles re Lenard. I don't think you had better depend much on Rontgen's 1/d2. If you want to [?] a pulsating repair with a different law. Λ"
1896
Handwritten letter from Sir Oliver Lodge, 21 Waverley Road, Liverpool, to George F. Fitzpatrick, dated 26 June 1892 and divided into three parts. In one part, Lodge discusses money that Fitzgerald owes. In the second part, Lodge hopes that a report on an exam will be postponed. In the third part, Lodge writes about potential energy. 3pp. Transcription: "M d Φ I have been on the verge of writing you about the ECBA. The last sum I had from you was Oct 9 1890 £2-17-6. Will you verify this. The enclosed ofcs are now with paid or waiting to be paid and I enclose account. Please draw on the Treasurer- I suppose for the exact amount. Λ If you paid anything in 1891 please let me know and return these. L.M. It's a [m?] about the syllabus I wrote asking for it to be delayed another year and hoping that a report of the exam would be far postponed for the present. I have not yet had Matric papers either. They were to go to you first. Best stir them up. Your pot energy and mine are not the same. My pot energy is all static energy or energy of [s?], whether due to gravitation direct or to weight of superincumbent materials i.e. grav indirect. This energy you exclude from your pot energy. I don't see why you treat Grav as an [?] force in addition to potential for without it there would be no Grav potential."
1892
Carbon disulfide.
Ultraviolet radiation.
Handwritten letter from Sir Oliver Lodge to George F. Fitzgerald, dated 16 March 1893. The handwriting is largely illegible after the first page, and includes several diagrams. Lodge discusses his experiment using a prism, light and nicol. 3pp. Transcription of first page: "M d Φ I lately got Hilger to make me a Quartz 60° prism for some ultra-violet exps. But I have to amuse myself with putting it together so as to make a [F?] prism of it and trying for those lateral pair of interfering forces seen with a li prism and [B?] due to the R and L circular light using an analysis of course. I got them all right, but I find the li prism is unnecessary to show interference when [arrow] and [arrow] says for the [F?] prism."
1893
Microscopes
Radiation
Handwritten letter from Sir Oliver Lodge, 2 Grove Park, Liverpool, to George F. Fitzgerald, dated 9 March 1894. Lodge discusses scientific equipment such as a microscope, a lamp, an oscillator and a radiation detector. 2pp. Transcription: "M d Φ Yes I'd like your model ether and scope. But I should like to receive them at Liverpool some time before hand so as to get used to them. The scope includes the picture of course? I will write about them later. Yes I know the oil spark dodge. What do you make out is the reason why you can write lamps through your body? Is it a condense action with a big C2 but small C? Which sounds nonsense but see today's Nature page 441. I have got a big oscillator, but not so big as 12 ft square, but big enough and non portable. I incline to do [c?] the less known things like effect of light on spark and perhaps impact times. As a detector of radiation I propose to blow some fuses if I can make what mess I like of min E light system. I am interested just now in colour vision and would sooner have done that, but they seemed to pine for another Hertz lecture. I have read, or rather skimmed, your wild pioneering article in "Sci Progress". I enclose a [s?] from my brother, to whom I mentioned your wish that Heinrich had stuck with orthodox. S V q. Probably you're too busy to read it. If so just return it. Λ"
1894
Hertz, Heinrich, 1857-1894.
Handwritten letter from Sir Oliver Lodge, 2 Grove Park, Liverpool, to George F. Fitzgerald, dated 6 March 1894. Lodge notes that he will be giving a lecture at the Royal Institution on the work of Heinrich Hertz and asks if Fitzgerald has any materials that could be of use. 1p. Transcription: "M d Φ I am asked to give a lecture at R.I. on the work of Hertz soon. Have you any out of the way materials for the purpose? Or anything suitable for lending? Some of the less know exps I should especially like to demonstrate. I expect you and Trouton have lots of things of one sort or another. It will not be necessary to show again what you showed 2 years ago. Except that I should like to show your many lens [?] kaleidoscope or whatever you called it and any other Irish wave demonstrations. Λ"
Hydrostatics.
Bryn Afon
1885
Marconi, Guglielmo, 1874-1937.
Engineering.
1897
Centrifugal force.
Zeeman effect.
Speed.
National Liberal Club,
Oscillations.
Mercury.
Grand Hotel,
Preece, W. H.
Coherer.
University of London,
Keely, John Ernest Worrell, 1827-1898.
Minchin, George Minchin, 1845-1914.
1881
Maxwell, James Clerk,1831-1879.1831-1879.
[Letter to George F. Fitzgerald from Sir Oliver Lodge].
Glazebrook, Richard, 1854-1935.
Thomson, J. J.1856-1940.1856-1940.
Handwritten letter from Sir Oliver Lodge, to George F. Fitzgerald, without date. Lodge is writing to arrange a meeting of the British Association of the Advancement of Science. He also discusses Michelson and Morley's experiment to detect the relative motion of matter. 2pp. Transcription: "Φ Delighted to hear you will be at Perrys. Hope he will get his shop locked before I come. I don't come until Wed every. I will fix the BA meeting on Fri 8th at 3pm if possible at [A?] St. But I am 1st writing to ask Glazebrook if that will do for him. He rather wants Thursday. What hour on Thursday is your brand of [G?]. I have very carefully gone into Michelson and Morley's theory, working it for any obliquity - not only for 0° and 90°. And after many [m?] and much scepticism have reluctantly come to the conclusion that they are right (it by no means follows that they are, though). [Sliding?] motion doesn't alter result of comm but it lengthens the path. Cosine-wise. Rays, always rays, when direction has to be considered. Yes a departure from French law has its consequences, all contrary to experiment, unless ether near earth is [?] stagnant. There are ad lib of 4ps which require either French Law or Stagnation and M&M requires the last. But then I haven't been through the exps and things with JJT in my mind yet. Instead to when I've time. But wait for my spinning disk exp and see what that says!!! Λ "
Handwritten letter from Sir Oliver Lodge to George F. Fitzgerald, without date. Lodge criticises the science journal, the Electrician, for not publishing Fitzgerald's letter and discusses future plans. He speculates whether William Thomas Kelvin and John William Strutt Rayleigh will come to the meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. 1p Transcription: "Φ, What's that about the Electrician not publishing a letter of yours? You ought not to sit quietly and submit to that. They would have a rebellion if it were known. No one of importance would write. As to Cardiff I appreciate your kindly wish to come but Mrs Morgan the paramount has claims. You can't come under the circumstances, unless indeed they should happen to turn out more propitious than they usually do. So I shall not expect you, notwithstanding that it will be very dull without you. Try and get things over before 19 Aug if possible. I don't think W.T. is coming either. I hope old R is. I fear everybody is saving up for Edinburgh. It's not surprising. λ"
University College,
Balfour, Arthur James Balfour, 1848-1930.
Slieve Donard Hotel,
Diffusion.
Aluminum.
Sound.
Gas.
Page of equations possibly from another piece of correspondence.
[Letter to George F. Fitzgerald from Spencer Pickering],
Pickering, Spencer
Chemical Society (Great Britain)
[Letter to George F. FitzGerald from Stafford M. Cox],
Cox, Stafford M.
X-rays.
[Letter to George F. FitzGerald from Stephen M. Dixon],
Dixon, Stephen M.
[Letter to George F. FitzGerald from T. Alexander],
[Letter to George F. FitzGerald from T. C. Meredith],
Meredith, T. C.
Royal University of Ireland,
Royal University of Ireland.
[Letter to George F. Fitzgerald from T. E. Thurber],
Thurber, T. E.
[Letter to George F. Fitzgerald from T. G. Finlay],
Finlay, T. G.
Education and state
Trinity College,
[Letter to George F. Fitzgerald from T. Morganowen],
Mahaffy, J. P. 1839-1919
[Letter to George F. FitzGerald from T. R. Wilberforce],
Wilberforce, T. R.
Thermodynamics.
Dynamics.
Bicycles.
[Letter to George F. Fitzgerald from T.W. Rolleston],
Rolleston, T.W.
Education
[Letter to George F. FitzGerald from the Bishop of Limerick],
The Palace,
[Letter to George F. FitzGerald from the Chairman of Science and Art Department, South Kensington],
[Letter to George F. FitzGerald from the Chairman of Science and Art Department, South Kensington].
[Letter to George F. FitzGerald from the Director of Disconto-Gesellschaft].
[Letter to George F. FitzGerald from the Editor of Nature].
[Letter to George F. FitzGerald from Thomas Carroll],
Carroll, Thomas
Royal Dublin Society.
Dairying.
Bacteria.
[Letter to George F. FitzGerald from Thomas Colquhoun],
Colquhoun, Thomas
Meteorology
Tide-waters.
[Letter to George F. FitzGerald from Thomas Jordan],
Jordan, Thomas
Clement, ca. 150-ca. 215.
Magnetics.
[Letter to George F. Fitzgerald from Thomas Newenham Deane],
Deane, Thomas Newenham, 1828-1899
[Letter to George F. Fitzgerald from Thomas Preston],
Preston, Thomas, 1860-1900