84 HELEN ABBOTT MICHAEL 



brought back views. He showed me quite a number of recent 

 ones. 



"The physical laboratory contains a treasure: in fact many ! 

 A large stand on which rests his spectroscope, a most inge- 

 nious yet simple arrangement, where he obtains the most ex- 

 tended spectra. The reading is effected by an arc marked. This 

 is illuminated by the light being carried along a curved glass 

 rod from the gas-burner to a little looking-glass which is over 

 the figures and magnifies them perfectly. I was enthusiastic 

 over the glass rod. It seemed quite weird, and Crookes said: 

 ' Can you not carry water along a glass tube ? Then why not 

 light along a glass rod ? Indeed I can turn corners and carry 

 the light wherever I have a mind to.' " 



Professor Crookes showed her his induction-coil, then the 

 largest in the world, and his various tubes, which she greatly 

 amused him by calling "spooky." He explained to her how 

 he tested the genuineness of gems by the use of his little pocket 

 spectroscope, " when by direct vision under ordinary con- 

 ditions, by simply holding up the stone before a window, the 

 most positive opinion may be had as to a stone's worth." A 

 large diamond placed in a tube and subjected to the electric 

 current gave forth the most beautiful phosphorescence. Others 

 from South Africa gave a pale-blue light, those from India 

 being harder gave a yellowish-green; others a yellow light. 

 One tube containing a number of small diamonds of different 

 qualities "were beautiful in their play of color when subjected 

 to the electricity." He showed her a crystal of some lead salt 

 which remained phosphorescent for some time after the current 

 had been turned off. It gave the most brilliant apple-green 

 color. She thought that, without exception, this exhibition 

 was the most remarkable and interesting of her whole trip. 

 She spent three hours in that "most wonderful room." When 

 she went away he presented her with two or three of these 

 tubes, one containing a large ruby. 



She says: "I have not begun to do justice to my stay in 

 his laboratory. Nothing could surpass his courtesy, amia- 

 bility, and humor. He took me into his room containing his 

 rare earths. They were kept in a glass case. He had the va- 



