210 Obituary Notices of Fellows deceased. 



to some constituent of sodium, supposed to be broken up in the electric 

 arc or flame, rather than to sodium itself. But his facts and theories, 

 if insufficient to satisfy himself, were abundantly enough for Kelvin, 

 and would doubtless have convinced others. If Stokes hung back, his 

 correspondent was ready enough to push the application and to 

 formulate the conclusions. 



It is difficult to restrain a feeling of regret that these important 

 advances were no further published than in Lord Kelvin's Glasgow 

 lectures. Possibly want of time prevented Stokes from giving his 

 attention to the question. Prof. Larmor significantly remarks that 

 he became Secretary of the Royal Society in 1854. And the 

 reader of the Collected Papers can hardly fail to notice a marked 

 falling off' in the speed of production after this time. The reflection 

 suggests itself that scientific men should be kept to scientific work, 

 and should not be tempted to assume heavy administrative duties, at 

 any rate until such time as they have delivered their more important 

 messages to the world. 



But if there was less original work, science benefited by the 

 assistance which, in his position as Secretary of the Koyal Society, he 

 was ever willing to give to his fellow workers. The pages of the 

 " Proceedings " and " Transactions " abound with grateful recognitions 

 of help thus rendered, and in many cases his suggestions or comments 

 form not the least valuable part of memoirs which appear under the 

 names of others. It is not in human nature for an author to be 

 equally graceful when his mistakes are indicated, but from the point of 

 view of the Society and of science in general, the service may be very 

 great. It is known that in not a few cases the criticism of Stokes was 

 instrumental in suppressing the publication of serious errors. 



No one could be more free than he was from anything like an 

 unworthy jealousy of his comrades. Perhaps he would have been the 

 better for a little more wholesome desire for reputation. As happened 

 in the case of Cavendish, too great an indifference in this respect, 

 especially if combined with a morbid dread of mistakes, may easily 

 lead to the withholding of valuable ideas and even to the suppression 

 of elaborate experimental work, which it is often a labour to prepare 

 for publication. 



In 1857 he married Miss Robinson, daughter of Dr. Romney 

 Robinson, F.R.S., astronomer of Armagh. Their first residence was in 

 rooms over a nursery gardener's in the Trumpington Road, where 

 they received visits from Whewell and Sedgwick. Afterwards they 

 took Lerisfield Cottage, where they resided until her death in 1899. 

 Though of an unusually quiet and silent disposition, he did not like 

 being alone. He was often to be seen at parties and public functions, 

 and, indeed, rarely declined invitations. In later life, after he had 



