Letter to George F. Fitzgerald from William Ramsay
Title
Letter to George F. Fitzgerald from William Ramsay
Creator
Date
Identifier
GFF 8/96
Subject
Description
Handwritten letter from W. Ramsay to George. F Fitzgerald, dated the 29th of May 1897.
W. Ramsay apologises for not responding sooner to Fitzgerald’s invitations and expresses regret that he can't accept them. He humbly downplays his accomplishments and feels undeserving of recent honors. Ramsay shares his disappointment that helium may not be responsible for the heavier gas fractions he studied—arguing instead that argon appears to be the cause—and reflects on the experimental challenges and his own self-doubt. He discusses ongoing work with gas separations and precise measurements, plans to contact Lord Rayleigh about publishing their apparatus details, and looks forward to discussing these matters in person. He sends warm regards to Fitzgerald’s family and mentions a curious find: a fund for a city library in Egypt with 5,000 manuscripts.
4pp.
Transcription:
My dear Fitzgerald,
"My face is that red" when I think of your kind letters of invitation, which, worse luck, I am unable to accept. And still worse, I haven't written to thank you for the share you had in adding an-other honour to my list, which is already far too long. I am bowed down when I think of them in one scale or my deserts in the other. I know as well as you do that I am rather a duffer, with a kind
Plain that I would much rather have gone to you but I thought that it might / all I D - [Huugh?] low to invite me quasi - official by, a hat you would have gone so had is here etiquette. You see I don't know what good manners and customs are.
I am rather despondent about helium. After all our work, it appears nearly certain that argon is the sole reason of the higher density of the heavier portion. We can make mixtures of argon and helium which give spectra apparently identical with those of one heavy fractions, and which must have an identical density
Of knack of experiments and a kind of dourness in hammering at a thing - But it seems to me that if any one like dozens of others were only to take trouble they would do far better. In fact I put somewhat you impostor, and you, in your good-ness kindness have lent a hard to encourage the deception I wonder you aren't ashamed of yourself. But I am definite from any point, which is to thank you very much for your kind invitation, and especially
We are at separation notices now, to see if they too give the mean. The apparatus is capable of giving the results. The error is not more than 0.1 p.c. I must write to lord Rayleigh & ask him to publish details of the apparatus, for we must use of a heap of results with air, oxygen, nitrogen & hydrogen to prove our point. I hope I shall have a chance of talking over these matters when we meet. Kindest regards to all. Glad to see the children in the flesh (o skin) & not merely as pictorial representations! have you heard of Grenfell fund of a city library in Egypt with 5000 pieces miss?
Yours Sincerely,
W Ramsay
W. Ramsay apologises for not responding sooner to Fitzgerald’s invitations and expresses regret that he can't accept them. He humbly downplays his accomplishments and feels undeserving of recent honors. Ramsay shares his disappointment that helium may not be responsible for the heavier gas fractions he studied—arguing instead that argon appears to be the cause—and reflects on the experimental challenges and his own self-doubt. He discusses ongoing work with gas separations and precise measurements, plans to contact Lord Rayleigh about publishing their apparatus details, and looks forward to discussing these matters in person. He sends warm regards to Fitzgerald’s family and mentions a curious find: a fund for a city library in Egypt with 5,000 manuscripts.
4pp.
Transcription:
My dear Fitzgerald,
"My face is that red" when I think of your kind letters of invitation, which, worse luck, I am unable to accept. And still worse, I haven't written to thank you for the share you had in adding an-other honour to my list, which is already far too long. I am bowed down when I think of them in one scale or my deserts in the other. I know as well as you do that I am rather a duffer, with a kind
Plain that I would much rather have gone to you but I thought that it might / all I D - [Huugh?] low to invite me quasi - official by, a hat you would have gone so had is here etiquette. You see I don't know what good manners and customs are.
I am rather despondent about helium. After all our work, it appears nearly certain that argon is the sole reason of the higher density of the heavier portion. We can make mixtures of argon and helium which give spectra apparently identical with those of one heavy fractions, and which must have an identical density
Of knack of experiments and a kind of dourness in hammering at a thing - But it seems to me that if any one like dozens of others were only to take trouble they would do far better. In fact I put somewhat you impostor, and you, in your good-ness kindness have lent a hard to encourage the deception I wonder you aren't ashamed of yourself. But I am definite from any point, which is to thank you very much for your kind invitation, and especially
We are at separation notices now, to see if they too give the mean. The apparatus is capable of giving the results. The error is not more than 0.1 p.c. I must write to lord Rayleigh & ask him to publish details of the apparatus, for we must use of a heap of results with air, oxygen, nitrogen & hydrogen to prove our point. I hope I shall have a chance of talking over these matters when we meet. Kindest regards to all. Glad to see the children in the flesh (o skin) & not merely as pictorial representations! have you heard of Grenfell fund of a city library in Egypt with 5000 pieces miss?
Yours Sincerely,
W Ramsay
Source
RDS Library & Archives GFF collection of letters
Contributor
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
Ramsay, William, “Letter to George F. Fitzgerald from William Ramsay,” RDS Digital Archive, accessed December 5, 2025, https://digitalarchive.rds.ie/items/show/2321.