Letter to George F. Fitzgerald from Sir Oliver Lodge
Title
Letter to George F. Fitzgerald from Sir Oliver Lodge
Creator
Date
Identifier
GFF 2/69
Description
Handwritten letter from Sir Oliver Lodge to George F. Fitzgerald, dated 26 September 1896. Lodge suggests writing a Dictionary of Physics to avoid repetition and explain elementary concepts. 2pp.
Transcription:
"Φ
I ventured to open the enclosed from Kelvin thinking it might be interesting, but it isn't. He asks me to send it on. Please let me know your address this week for Victoria papers. Do you think that the time has come for a Dictionary of Physics somewhat analogous to Watt's Dict of Chemistry. It just strikes me that it might save much repetition eg such heads as Elasticity, Pressure, Stress, Leak, and everything might be summed up sufficiently for elementary purposes and whereas these words occurred their heads could be referred to. The present form of text book must either be partial or too bulky. It is the fundamental ideas that need such treatment to avoid repetition in all parts of the subject and to fix things clearly. Would it be too mortally dull I wonder?
Λ"
Transcription:
"Φ
I ventured to open the enclosed from Kelvin thinking it might be interesting, but it isn't. He asks me to send it on. Please let me know your address this week for Victoria papers. Do you think that the time has come for a Dictionary of Physics somewhat analogous to Watt's Dict of Chemistry. It just strikes me that it might save much repetition eg such heads as Elasticity, Pressure, Stress, Leak, and everything might be summed up sufficiently for elementary purposes and whereas these words occurred their heads could be referred to. The present form of text book must either be partial or too bulky. It is the fundamental ideas that need such treatment to avoid repetition in all parts of the subject and to fix things clearly. Would it be too mortally dull I wonder?
Λ"
Source
RDS Library & Archives GFF collection of letters
Rights
Copyright RDS Library & Archives. Publication, transmission or display is prohibited without formal written approval of the RDS Library & Archives.
Relation
RDS Science Archive
Format
Manuscript
Language
English
Type
Coverage
1870-1901
Collection
Citation
Lodge, Oliver, Sir, 1851-1940, “Letter to George F. Fitzgerald from Sir Oliver Lodge,” RDS Digital Archive, accessed July 16, 2025, https://digitalarchive.rds.ie/items/show/1329.