WCP33

[1]

Parkstone, Dorset,

March 6th. 1901

My dear Will¹

Shortly after I wrote last I determined to do the Electrical Chap.² at once, so I read up art. in Encyc. — Ganot’s Physics, & S. Thompsons Elect. & Mag. — made a few notes of points to refer to, & then started off to write. Considering that I know absolutely nothing of the subject, I think it will be rather interesting & clarifying to those who know as little as I did. I seem to see it a little better now.

You must remember that I have described the applications in earlier chapters. Transmission of power & Niagara, in Chap. II. Telegraphy including wireless, in Chap. III. Radiation chap. you have seen. Elect. Light in Chap. IV.

[2] Please in noting errors &c. put. a X in pencil in the margin, & then make the correction or suggestion on the a separate paper- noting page of MSS. —

Also if there are any more verbal errors in tech^l. [technical] terms &c. give the exactly correct phrase.

I have tried hard to get to understand the thing myself and I do not think there can be much wrong, as I have followed S. Thompson, and on the whole he is exceedingly clear. I shall write to ask him to let me use his cat’s [catalogue] to illustrate [3] the chapter. His bit about what Elect^y. [Electricity] is & is not ^{on p. 1 of his book}, & his statement of Clerk-Maxwell's³ theory, make a good finish for my Chap.

When the first Ed.⁴ came out a Mr. Garnett⁵ wrote to me about some errors in physics &c. so I wrote to him & asked if he would look over my new chapters, & he said he would, so I have sent him the Radiation Chapter. He is evidently well up in Chemistry. — ^{(& pretty well in Physics)} & I shall send him that chapter too.

I have now done all of importance except the new chapter on Astronomy — four of them I think.

(1) Solar System — (2) Comets Meteors &c.

(2) Sun & Stars &c. Telescopic.

(3) do. do… [Sun & Stars] Spectroscopic

[4] (4) Cosmic Theories — Nebular & Meteoritic Hypotheses.

By the bye, I cannot find anywhere a good cut of the old post chaise — with postilion, — such as were used all over England by gentlemen & ladies down to about 1850. If you know any one interested in old fashions you might ask them or any 2nd. hand bookseller might know a book containing one — I bought a book called Progress in Gt. Britain in 2 vols. with excellent cuts of old coaches & wagons, old ships & new ships &c but no post-chaise; & I have got a big book on "Highways and Horses" out of the library with more fine engravings of coaches, cabs, &c. but no Post-chaise!

If there is any one in Newcastle you can trust about any points in my MSS. you are not quite sure about, you need not send it to Mac.⁶ but return at once[.] As⁷ the old road to Gretna Green went through Newcastle many old people must have seen run-away marriages in Post-chaises.

Yours very affectionately | A R Wallace [signature]