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 jrom 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- 
