BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH 
85 
rious rare earths from many sources of minerals and in many 
cases these were different in color from the earth source. I 
thought what an interesting thing it would be to find out if any 
one of the ash-constituents from different plant sources would 
present also differences. He showed me the first radiometer, 
and a series of electric bulb-lights from the smallest in the 
world to the usual size. 
“Mrs. Crookes told the story. Professor Crookes said when 
he discovered his radiometer he rushed in where Mrs. Crookes 
was and cried, ‘It moves.’ She answered, ‘Six oysters.’ It 
seems that she was engaged in going over the fishmonger’s 
book and found the account out six oysters. Crookes said he 
could never forgive her for this! This was all amiable. Mrs. 
Crookes is extremely agreeable and bright; both she and her 
daughter were most hospitable. I had been invited in to lunch, 
so we soon went into the dining-room. It is on the ground 
floor front — a very handsomely furnished room, rather dark, 
but at night illuminated, as are all the rooms, by electricity. 
A blessing was asked by Mrs. Crookes before beginning the 
meal. Miss Alice Crookes, Mrs. Crookes’s mother, and a visitor 
made up the party. Mrs. Crookes regretted not knowing that 
I would remain longer, for she had gathered from my note 
that I should sail on that day, and they had no other free time. 
Professor Crookes said he would like to have given me a din¬ 
ner and to have invited some of the chemists to meet me. I 
had expected to leave this week, and so had to endure the dis¬ 
appointment of missing this opportunity. After lunch, we 
went to the drawing-room and talked with the ladies. Crookes 
absented himself a short time to correct a proof but he soon 
rejoined us, and we went again to his laboratory and saw more 
marvels. 
“It was suggested that I should go with him to the Royal 
Society meeting in Burlington House, and be taken from there 
to Dr. Armstrong, whom I was to meet, to go from Charing 
Cross to his house, half an hour out. Crookes said ladies did 
not attend, but he proposed to take me; so off we drove in a 
hansom to Burlington House, chatting on the way about many 
subjects, novels, art, etc. Many members had already as- 
