158 Obituary Notices of Fellows deceased. 



The authorities of Trinity College, Dublin, are bringing out a 

 memorial edition of FitzGerald's writings, under the supervision and 

 editorship of his friend and equal, Dr. Joseph Larmor; who has 

 likewise written a powerful general summary and estimate of his 

 scientific work, so far as it can yet be estimated, for the Physical 

 Review for May, 1901 ; which will be reprinted with notes and 

 additions in the volume of FitzGerald's collected works. To this 

 memoir the student of advanced Mathematical and Physical science 

 is referred. It is thought better to restrict this present notice to- 

 matters of more general interest, but it may be permissible to con- 

 clude with a few quotations from the pen of some of his contem- 

 poraries, Heaviside, Eamsay, and others, which appeared at greater 

 length in the pages of Nature for March 7, 1901 : 



" At the last meeting of the British Association (at Bradford, 1900) 

 the proceedings of the Physical Section were interesting and success- 

 ful from one cause beyond all others the assiduity with which he 

 devoted himself to attendance, and the unceasing flow of valuable 

 suggestion and appreciative criticism which he contributed. His 

 stores of knowledge were ripening and maturing in fibre year by 

 year; his memory was unfailing, and each new fact or phenomenon 

 seemed to find its place at once in the setting to which it belonged, 

 AVTiatever views were presented to him, however much they jarred 

 with his own ideas, were certain to receive patient and careful con- 

 sideration. There was nobody who did more to encourage younger 

 men and to bring out what was best in them; the time which he 

 was accustomed to devote without stint to the elucidation and im- 

 provement of the work of others sadly diminished the opportunities 

 for work more especially his own. His advice and judgment were 

 valued over the whole range of Physical science, not less in foreign 

 lands than at home, notwithstanding that he published so little. 

 When a Physicist or physical Chemist came to a puzzle or paradox, 

 or was in doubt between various plans of procedure, it seems to 

 have come to be almost the natural course to write to FitzGerald. 

 A letter of inquiry or criticism always elicited a prompt reply, 

 entirely devoid of pretension to magisterial authority, but certain to 

 bring out new aspects of the subject and exhibit its connec- 

 tion with other problems. He was constantly acting as referee of 

 scientific papers for the Royal Society and other bodies, and was 

 accustomed to interest himself in them as if they were his own 

 work." J. L. 



" He had, undoubtedly, the quickest and most original brain of 

 anybody. That was a great distinction ; but it was, I think, a mis- 

 fortune as regards his scientific fame. He saw too many openings. 

 His brain was too fertile and inventive. If he had been less 



