Letter to George F. Fitzgerald from A. Gray
Title
Letter to George F. Fitzgerald from A. Gray
Creator
Date
Identifier
GFF 9/36
Subject
Description
A handwritten letter from A, Gray to George F. Fitzgerald dated May 26th 1894.
A. Gray writes to Fitzgerald seeking suggestions for important papers on Bessel functions, particularly any not already listed or notable applications in physical research. He mentions ongoing work aimed at explaining magnetism and electricity through medium-based action, focusing on motion and displacement, and centered on the vortex model of galvanic currents. Though the task is challenging, he remains hopeful about achieving meaningful results. Gray also mentions Duhem’s dismissal of Maxwell’s theories and expresses hope that Fitzgerald has recovered from recent ill health.
4pp.
Transcription:
Dear Fitzgerald,
Perhaps I ought not to bother you with the enclosed. If you do know of any important papers dealing with Bessel. Functions perhaps you will kindly indicate them if they are not included in the list. As stated in the circular we have not given in the list the titles of physical memoirs in which Bessel Functions are used, but if you should know of any good applications you can say.
Your hands in, we should be extremely glad to have references of course the papers of Lord Kelvin and Rayleigh O. Heaviside & Stokes are referred to in the text and will appear in the separate list referred to in the circular.
I am very busy with the work I think I will mention to you in which I a trying to give an account of the phenomena of Magnetism and Electricity from the point of view of action in the medium. I am in hopes that after you see this you will like it; but of course I may be too sanguine. My idea is to present
each case (Magnetism & Electricity) an account of the obvious facts and the obvious but incomplete theoretical conclusions, then to connect them with motion and displacement in the medium. The core of the whole thing will be the action of a galvanic current, regarded on the (vortex) origin of the field around it.
Sometimes I am very much discouraged by the task as it grows and difficulties develop, but i think I will get through it, with some kind of result which may in part justify the labor spent
Have you seen Duhem's Lecons sur l'Electricité et le Magnétisme? He claims in the most arrogant manner to have shown that Maxwell's electromagnetic theories are erroneous.
I heard a short time ago that you had not been very well. I trust you are now quite recovered to health.
Yours very faithfully
A. Gray
A. Gray writes to Fitzgerald seeking suggestions for important papers on Bessel functions, particularly any not already listed or notable applications in physical research. He mentions ongoing work aimed at explaining magnetism and electricity through medium-based action, focusing on motion and displacement, and centered on the vortex model of galvanic currents. Though the task is challenging, he remains hopeful about achieving meaningful results. Gray also mentions Duhem’s dismissal of Maxwell’s theories and expresses hope that Fitzgerald has recovered from recent ill health.
4pp.
Transcription:
Dear Fitzgerald,
Perhaps I ought not to bother you with the enclosed. If you do know of any important papers dealing with Bessel. Functions perhaps you will kindly indicate them if they are not included in the list. As stated in the circular we have not given in the list the titles of physical memoirs in which Bessel Functions are used, but if you should know of any good applications you can say.
Your hands in, we should be extremely glad to have references of course the papers of Lord Kelvin and Rayleigh O. Heaviside & Stokes are referred to in the text and will appear in the separate list referred to in the circular.
I am very busy with the work I think I will mention to you in which I a trying to give an account of the phenomena of Magnetism and Electricity from the point of view of action in the medium. I am in hopes that after you see this you will like it; but of course I may be too sanguine. My idea is to present
each case (Magnetism & Electricity) an account of the obvious facts and the obvious but incomplete theoretical conclusions, then to connect them with motion and displacement in the medium. The core of the whole thing will be the action of a galvanic current, regarded on the (vortex) origin of the field around it.
Sometimes I am very much discouraged by the task as it grows and difficulties develop, but i think I will get through it, with some kind of result which may in part justify the labor spent
Have you seen Duhem's Lecons sur l'Electricité et le Magnétisme? He claims in the most arrogant manner to have shown that Maxwell's electromagnetic theories are erroneous.
I heard a short time ago that you had not been very well. I trust you are now quite recovered to health.
Yours very faithfully
A. Gray
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
Gray, A., “Letter to George F. Fitzgerald from A. Gray,” RDS Digital Archive, accessed December 5, 2025, https://digitalarchive.rds.ie/items/show/2350.