September 2, 1920] 



NATURE 



25 



College of Science he secured the use of a room 

 in the new building- to which access was obtain- 

 able only through the two intermediate rooms 

 occupied by Frankland and his successors as the 

 research laboratory for chemistry. The conse- 

 quence was that the professor of astrophysics and 

 his satellites were compelled to pass many times 

 in the day through the chemical rooms. It cannot 

 be said that this was an advantage to the 

 chemical work, for, owing to draughts and 

 general disturbance, some chemical operations 

 ■were absolutely prohibited ; but the arrangement 

 had one compensation in the opportunities 

 afforded of frequent talk with the professor, and 

 of hearing from him what was going on. Lockyer 

 was always very helpful to other less experienced 

 workers with the spectroscope, and after the dis- 

 covery by Ramsay of terrestrial helium it can be 

 readily imagined what a bustle arose in the room 

 occupied by the professor of astrophysics, to 

 whom the original observation of the same 

 element in the sun was due. This naturally gave 

 rise lo many conferences with the professor of 

 chemistry on the subject of the minerals from 

 which the gas was obtained. 



Lockyer was also a genial and jovial member 

 of the circle which assembled daily round the 

 luncheon table in the museum, which included in 

 later years some of the professors from the City 

 and Guilds Central College. Nearly all arc now 

 gone, and only memories remain to the few sur- 

 vivors. Those recollections include the conviction 

 that Lockyer was a strong man who always knew 

 his own mind, and hence accomplished much both 

 by practice and example where lesser men, though 

 with the same aspirations, only met with failure 

 and disappointment. William A. Tilden. 



The privilege of taking part in the memorial 

 tributes to Sir Norman Lockyer is perhaps some- 

 thing more than I deserve, for, although it is 

 true we were on terms of cordial frieiuiship, we 

 re never associated in official or scientific 

 iipations, unless his invitation to join in the 

 founding of the British Science Guild, and his 

 many courtesies as Editor of Nature, may be so 

 described. To speak of Lockyer's researches as 

 contributions to science seems inadequate. In- 

 capable as I was of following his scientific work 

 in detail, I felt it to be more than contributory; 

 wc .idmired him rather as a builder, and a builder 

 on big and original lines. There was something 

 large in his undertakings and in his vision, and 

 happily to sustain them he had al.so within him 

 a fountain of energy which seemed perennial. His 

 prescience and his vigour together were enormous, 

 ;ini| carried him into many spheres of activitv. If 



netimes I was tempted to grudge his spending 

 . . ihc clouds what was needed by mankind, this 

 was ungrateful, for Lockyer put his driving power 

 freely into many sublunary affairs. 



That Lockyer was disposed to be combative he 

 was the first to admit, but always on liberal and 

 NO. 2653, VOL. 106] 



I generous lines ; and in personal differences he was 

 always kindly and good-humoured. His was the 

 combativeness that keeps societies from stagna- 

 tion. On two important affairs he and I differed 

 decisively, but always in good temper, and I 

 gladly admit that in the main he was right on 

 both issues. From the time of his departure from 

 London most of us had to lament the loss, not, 

 happily, at the time, of an original worker in 

 science, but of a most ingenious and stimulating 

 companion. At length we have lost a colleague 

 not only a master of minute and diligent observa- 

 tion, but also endowed with that wide and abstract 

 imagination which, if other than the individual 

 imagination of the artist, is no less prophetic in 

 the sphere of science. Clikford Allbctt. 



I CANNOT call myself an intimate friend of the 

 late Sir Norman Lockyer, though we frequently 

 met and talked, but two characteristics in him 

 always impressed me. One was his energy. He 

 seemed always to be at work, always to be full 

 of interests, and whatever he took up he did 

 well. The other was the many-sidedness of his 

 mind, and his powder of combining business ability 

 and scientific acuteness. Quite early in his career 

 he made important contributions to solar physics, 

 discovering (with Janssen) how to examine the 

 solar prominences apart from an eclipse, investi- 

 gated meteors, and was one of the three simul- 

 taneously to explain the wonderful glows which 

 followed the Krakaloa eruption. Besides this he 

 wrote valuable and suggestive papers on Stone- 

 henge and other British stone circles. With all 

 this he was a very efficient public servant, both in 

 the War Office and in the Science and -Art De- 

 partment, secretary to the Duke of Devonshire's 

 Commission on Scientific Instruction in 1870, and 

 Editor of Nature for fifty years from its com- 

 mencement. We shall not readily meet again 

 with his like. T. G. Bonney. 



Mr. Arthur Savage writes : — Like many other 

 people, I have been reading the life-story of 

 Sir Norman Lockyer, the great man of science 

 who was able to add so liberal a contribution to 

 the accumulation of human knowledge. I was 

 interested to learn from the obituary notice which 

 appeared in the Times of August 17 that Sir 

 Norman was the founder of Nati'RE, and I have 

 thought the opportunity a fitting one to express a 

 young man's humble word of appreciation of your 

 excellent journal. 



Although I have not received a university 

 education, and my daily duties are outside the 

 domain of .scientific study, you may be glad to 

 know that I follow your columns regularly in 

 order to keep myself " up to date " in matters 

 relating to those branches of knowletlge in which 

 I am interested. Should you consider this note 

 worthy of publication I have no doubt that it 

 would represent the feelings of numerous other 

 "ordinary" individuals like myself. 



