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The manuscripts listed under this head are all in Clifford’s own hand. E4/8–9 were formerly folded up together, as were E4/13–14.

The manuscripts listed under this head are in Clifford’s own hand, except where indicated otherwise. E3/17-31 were formerly in the wrapper E3/32. E3/23-4 are probably related.

These items are all in Clifford’s own hand, except E2/2b.

The collection includes letters written by Clifford to friends and relatives, notebooks kept by him, and various items relating to his lectures and writings, including manuscript drafts, proofs, printed syllabuses, and pamphlets. There are also some photographs. The items added after Clifford’s death include correspondence about him, obituaries, reviews of posthumous publications, and papers relating to the public testimonial organised in his name.

(Algiers.)—They leave on Thursday for Oran, Gibraltar, Malaga, and Granada. Willi will write to Lady Pollock.

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Transcript

We leave Algiers for Oran on Thursday. Sail for Gibraltar on Sunday 2nd of July & take the first steamer starting for Malaga—(we may have to wait some little time before one starts) We stay a few days at Malaga—(address always P.R. {1}) After that we probably go to Granada.—Give my love to Lady Pollock & say I should write to her but Willi wants to do so himself.

L.

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{1} Poste restante.

Algiers.—Asks after the baby and her mother, and commends the choice of name. Outlines a scheme for the education of children, which he has partly communicated to Macmillan. Will write to Milady (Lady Pollock).

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Algiers Monday June 26/76

Dearest Fred—Nous voici enfin les deux compères! et ça va comme vous voulez, cette petite mignonne et la femme chérie? I like the name well; you can shorten the first part into Belle or the second into Elsie which is very effective. We must come to an understanding with the Moultons about primary education. She has been marvellously successful with her children. I have a scheme which has been communicated in part to Macmillan and which grows like a snowball. It is founded on “Pleasant Pages”, {1} the book I was taught out of; which is a series of ten-minutes’ lessons on the Pestalozzian plan of making the kids find out things for themselves, history of naughty boys on Monday, animals on Tuesday, bricks on Wed[n]esday, Black Prince on Thursday, and so on. In the book it was very well done, by a man who had a genius for it; if you go to see Macmillan in Bedford St he will shew you the book which he got on my recommendation—he is also himself newly interested in the question. His partner Jack read part of it and was struck. Well, I first want that brought up to today, both in choice of subject and in accuracy; adding, e.g. a series of object lessons on Man (papa & mama, house, street, clothes, shop, policeman, “wild & field,”). Then I want it taught on the Russian system, in different languages on successive days; no direct teaching of language until there are facts enough to make Grimm’s law intelligible, for which English, German and the latin element in French would be enough; no grammar at all until very late and then as analysis of sentences and introductory to logic. This is the difficult part; it would require a French and a German teacher, both trained and competent, besides the English one. So far as the book is concerned it would of course be easy to print it in the three languages. Lastly, I have bought 12 volumes of the Bibliothèque Nationale for 3 fr.—Rabelais, 5 vols., and Montesquieu, Pascal, Diderot and Vauvenargues. They are 25 centimes each, admirable for the pocket—& of course you know them. There are two or three hundred volumes. Whereupon we must of course get the same thing done for English literature, and the setting forth of all literature in English (e.g. I have Les Maximes d’Epictète), but more particularly we must get published excellent little manuals at 2d or 3d for the use of Board & other primary Schools. I do not even know that penny schoolbooks would not be a successful move—the size of a Daily News, say, printed by the million in a Walter Press, folded and sewed by machinery to about the size of the Bibliothèque, indicated in the left-hand top corner of this page. {2} A Daily News would just make one of these volumes. Fancy the Pensées of Pascal, with the notes of Voltaire, Fontenelle, and Condorcet, a good Life at the beginning, etc. all well printed on a sheet of the Daily News! But of such a size could be made a very good elementary schoolbook of Arithmetic, Geometry, animals, Plants, physics, etc.—rather larger than Macmillan’s Primers, but of the same sort. {3} Now I must go to dinner, but I shall write to Milady an account of our adventures at Bougie and Sètif and of the Arab who had a gazelle in a basket that wanted to eat Lucy’s hat. Herein I have only been apostolic, moved by your account of the gathering, {4} and determined to support the general next year. Too long have I been absent from that august assembly.

All my love to you & George & the dear creature.

Thy
Willi.

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{1} Pleasant Pages, a periodical conducted by Samuel Prout Newcombe, was first published in six volumes (probably comprising weekly numbers) between 1851 and 1853 (London: Houlston and Stoneman). It was reprinted in one volume by Houlston and Wright in 1861 and again by Houlston and Sons in 1874. The work had previously been published in one volume in the United States under the title Pleasant Pages for Young People, or Book of Home Education and Entertainment (Boston: Gould and Lincoln, 1853).

{2} A rectangle measuring 5½ by 3½ inches is marked out in the place indicated.

{3} ‘I have a scheme … same sort.’ This passage has been marked off by pencil lines in both margins.

{4} Possibly the Conference of Liberal Thinkers at South Place Chapel.

(Algiers.)—Congratulates him (on the birth of his daughter). Asks him to pay any money he has for them into the bank. Willi is certainly better, and they have done a great deal of sailing and driving.

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26th June—

My dear Fred

Your letter was received with great rejoicing. I congratulate you with all my heart. The old man will do so on his own account.

If you have any more money for us please pay it in, (we have altogether had £300) we have not run out but much fear being left at the mercy of an accident in this quarter of the world.

Willi is certainly better. We have done a great deal of sailing & driving which he has thoroughly enjoyed. He is very happy & the sun has quite spoilt his beautiful complexion

Ever Yours
Lucy

(Undated. The results of the Mathematical Tripos in which M. J. M. Hill was fourth wrangler, as mentioned in this report, were announced on 24 Jan. 1879.)

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[Proof.] {1}

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, LONDON.

RECOMMENDATION OF THE FACULTIES OF ARTS AND LAWS AND OF SCIENCE ON THE TEACHING OF MATHEMATICS AND PHYSICS.

Adopted by Senate to be forwarded to the Council.

For the last ten or eleven years, that is to say since the Session 1868–69, the studies of Mathematics and Physics in this College have been under the charge of three professors. From 1868 to 1871 the Chair of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics was held by Professor B. T. MOORE; and since 1871 it has been held by Professor CLIFFORD. Professor Clifford’s very serious illness has been a cause of deep regret to his colleagues. He is not only unable to lecture now, but it is also certain that if he regained some measure of health, we could hope only to be benefited in future by occasional short courses upon subjects which he is unusually well qualified to teach; he could not undertake hard work throughout a session.

The Faculties of Arts and Laws and of Sciences think it undesirable that the arrangements for efficient conduct of one of the chief studies of the College, should remain provisional. They, therefore suggest to the Senate that the following proposals be submitted to the Council, with the assigned reasons for each, and that authority be asked of the Council to plan in accordance with them the next arrangements for teaching Mathematics and Physics. It is hoped that they may be advertised in the Prospectus of the Faculties of Arts and Laws and of Science which is now being prepared, for publication in the latter part of April.

It is proposed that Professor CLIFFORD remain in possession of his chair, and that if, against the expectation but in accordance with the most earnest desire of his colleagues, he should so far recover health as to be able to lecture, he should be invited to lecture upon special subjects in Mathematics, to which he could bring his own rare qualities of mind without being subjected to any strain of constant necessary work.

The reasons for this proposal are, that Professor CLIFFORD’S strength, if he recovers, will never be equal to such strain, while even partial recovery is almost beyond hope; that when comparatively strong, although his lectures were of the highest interest and value to advanced students, original and suggestive, and, therefore, adding to the credit of the College, he showed less aptitude for the concerted action that is necessary for efficient covering of a large subject taught by more than one Professor. Should Professor CLIFFORD be able to lecture again, he would probably attract larger classes to small special courses of his own choice, within the range of the subject of his chair, than by any other form of lecturing, while other provision would be made for necessary work.

It is proposed, that the growing demands for an extended teaching of Mathematics and Physics be now met wholly by the Professors of those subjects; that the Professorship of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics might, if it then seemed desirable, be abolished at the end of Professor CLIFFORD’S tenure of it, or reconstituted under new conditions, and that meanwhile the substantial work hitherto entrusted to three Professors, shall be in the hands of two Professors and two Assistant Professors. It is further recommended that MICAIAH J. M. HILL, M.A., of London, and B.A. of Cambridge, lately fourth Wrangler and first Smith’s Prizeman, and old student and now a Fellow of this College, be appointed Assistant-Professor of Mathematics, and that OLIVER J. LODGE, D.SC. of the University of London, who during the present session is Professor CLIFFORD’S substitute, and by his original writings in Physics is rapidly taking a high position as a scientific man; be appointed Assistant-Professor of Physics.

The reasons for this proposal are very distinct. There are no subjects taught in the Faculties of Arts and Laws and of Science […]

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{1} The square brackets are in the original.

Algiers.—They are delighted by the news (of the birth of Isabel Alice Pollock). Is eager to see the baby and hear more about her. Approves the choice of name.

(With an envelope.)

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Algiers. 26th June 1876

My dear Georgie

We have just had Fred’s letter & we are very delighted. I went to the post office & when I saw a letter in Fred’s handwriting I longed to open it, & rushed back to Willi under a blazing sun & was rewarded by hearing the news read aloud. I am so very very glad for you both & hope the sweet little thing will bring you all the happiness you can desire. We were always thinking of you about the time you said but you see the young lady had arrived beforehand. I can’t help thinking how happy you must be, dear Georgie, & can quite fancy I see you. Is’nt† the top of its head nice to kiss, & don’t you long to cuddle it up & hug it in a manner that would be certain death to it? I like calling a baby “it” better than him or her, {1} it seems to describe a baby so well. I would give anything to see my little niece & to nurse it & shall come and call on her the moment we arrive almost in Town & do hope it will still be in long petticoats. I hope you got your Nurse in time, I know you were ready in other ways. Do make Fred when he has time or Emmie when she comes to see you write a proper account. If she is dark or fair, what colour eyes & how you look as a Mamma & if she had good lungs & if the clothes are all too big (as mine were) &c. &c. I wonder if anyone was disappointed at a boy not appearing. I know you were not for you told me once how you should like a little daughter. We must have a grand meeting of our babies when we come home, that baby of ours is quite aged now though. I should like to give you a good kiss & tell you how glad we are for you. I never was so pleased at anyone having a baby in all my life before. I am sure Mrs Deffel is delighted also. Isabel Alice is a charming name. My pretty little sister in the Convent is called Isabel. Only fancy when Isabel & Ethel are grown up & go to balls & their fathers are bald & their mothers old! I have written to tell Ethel about it, but think Smut ought to be told somehow, he wd be so pleased & now he cries about the house & misses us & his little sister sadly. It is rather wicked of you to have your first baby when we are so {2} far away, I should have enjoyed it so much. I know Fred nurses it to perfection, Willi has already planned its education. take† great care of yourself & kiss the little darling for me & now goodbye—I am so thankful it is all over—

Yours always affectionately
Lucy Clifford

[Added on the envelope by W. K. Clifford:] Don’t write to Gibraltar—we shall go from Oran to Malaga if we can.

[Direction on envelope, in the hand of W. K. Clifford:] F. Pollock Esqre | 12 Bryanston St | London W [In the top left-hand corner:] Angleterre

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The envelope was postmarked somewhere in Algeria, 1876 (only part of the mark is visible), stamped ‘Marseille a Lyon’ on 29 June 1876, and postmarked at London, W., on 23 June 1876.

{1} Comma supplied.

{2} Blotted, perhaps intentionally.

† Sic.

31 Kensington Park Gardens, W.—Sends part of a report relating to Clifford, which Pollock may quote. Has sent Pollock’s article to the printer.

(With an envelope.)

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31 Kensington Park Gardens, W. {1}
7.5

Dear Pollock,

Here is the part referring to Clifford of the Report I mentioned. The expression is less concentrated than from memory I supposed it was, & you must judge how far you can make use of any of the sentences or whether you would not better put the gist of the recommendation in words of your own. Perhaps you will tear up the paper when you have made use of it, the document being private. I need only add that according to a by-law of the College, a Professor vacates his office as soon as he has let two sessions pass without lecturing.

In the circumstances I have sent on your art. to the printer, & must ask Land to stand over for another quarter which for your sake, I daresay, he will be willing enough to do, seeing his critical notice can afford to wait {2}.

Yours truly
G C Robertson

[Direction on envelope:] F. Pollock Esqr | 24 Bryanston Street | W.

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The envelope was postmarked at London, W., on 8 May 1879.

{1} A second printed address—6 Lorton Terrace, Ladbroke Road, W.—has been struck through.

{2} Pollock’s critical notice of Spinoza's Wijsbegeerte, by M. C. L. Lotsij (1878), appeared in the July issue of Mind, having been given priority over J. P. N. Land’s critical notice of Proeve van eene Geschiedenis van de Leer der Aangeboren Begrippen, by C. B. Spruyt (1879), the publication of which was delayed till the December issue.

Trinity College, Cambridge.—Sends birthday greetings and congratulates him on his appointment as magistrate. The heads of houses have decided against letting students go down for the election, so he will not be able to run down to Exeter for the day.

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Coll: SS: Trin. Cantab.
Nov. 17/68

My dearest Father

This is to wish you loads upon loads of happy returns of the day, and that every one may find you more prosperous and happy than the last. I am very vexed about some photographs I got in Dresden and meant to have sent you now: the photographer sent two short to Fraülein† Kretschmer’s, and there have been subsequent confusions so that they have not come yet. I must bring them to you at Christmas.

I have to congratulate you also on your new magisterial duties: and hope you won’t be too hard on me if I am ever brought up before you. The little holiday I was expecting has not come off; but I have had to scold several men for their bad taste in cutting my lecture to see the British Public nominate its elegant representatives. {1} It would have been very jolly to run down for a day—but I suppose the Heads of Houses thought the men would get into much greater rows at home if they were sent there. I hope your affairs will have passed off quietly, and that you have not got into any more danger from the independent electors. Very best love to dear Mama & the little ones from

Your most affectionate son
W. K. Clifford

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Letter-head of the Cambridge Union Society.

{1} A general election was held this year between 17 November and 7 December. Nominations of candidates in the various constituencies were held on 16 November.