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EDDN/A/4/5 · Item · 13 Apr. 1919
Part of Papers of Sir Arthur Eddington

Transcript

“The Portugal”
Sunday, April 13

My very dear Mother

We expect to reach St. Vincent about 4 o’clock this afternoon, so I shall be able to post a letter there.

There is not much to say about my last two or three days at Funchal. They passed very quickly, bathing and so on, and I was very sorry to leave. Mr. & Mrs. Jones the proprietors of the Hotel were very nice people; we saw a good deal of them, and found the hotel very comfortable.

On Monday I went round to the various offices getting my passport in order. First the British Consul had to visé it and charged 2/–. Then there was a complicated business with the Civil Governor, and a visit to the Treasury to buy the necessary revenue-stamps costing 14/2 altogether. Finally I had to see the chief-of-police, who for a wonder, did not charge any thing.

I should have found it rather difficult, but at the Civil Governor’s a man who could speak English volunteered assistance and took me to all the different places. He looked a very unkempt, seedy individual and I quite thought he was after earning a tip; but on the way he introduced me to the Governor of Principe {1} (who was in Madeira on leave) and later on asked me a lot of questions about Cambridge saying that his son was in the University of Coimbra, so I had to revise my idea. It turned out that he was Editor of the local paper; and, though I gave him some information about the expedition which duly appeared the next day, he was merely helping me out of politeness. Cottingham waited to see how I got on, and got his passport in order the next day.

The Portugal arrived punctually about 1 o’clock on Wednesday and we had to spend a good part of the afternoon seeing our baggage taken from the custom-house to the lighter and afterwards checking it on the ship. We had tea at the hotel, and went down to the pier about 5∙30. The waiter, Antonio, had taken our luggage on board before.

This is quite a decent ship about the same size as the Anselm. The cabin, which we share is large and airy. The food is good, but it is difficult to get used to the foreign meal times. We have coffee and biscuits in the cabin about 7 o’clock, déjeuner at 11, tea at 3∙30, dinner at 6, and tea again at 9∙30. The déjeuner and dinner are good meals to which I do justice, but the tea is very poor. They give us some splendid tender beefsteaks pretty often.

The weather has been good, a strong fresh wind (the trade-wind) behind us, with blue sky and warm moonlight nights. The ship goes along with a gentle easy roll. There are seven English on board (including ourselves) but three of them are men going to the cable station who leave at St Vincent. Of the others one is a man going to manage a Portuguese sugar-refinery, and the other a lady-missionary. The missionary is having a rare time with several young men dancing attendance on her and appears to be enjoying herself thoroughly. The rest of the passengers (about 20 in the first class) are Portuguese.

I have had a game of chess with the Doctor which was a very long one, lasting 2½ hours; but I think he was not very pleased at being beaten, at any rate he has not given me an opportunity of another game. I played a good many games with Geoffrey at Madeira who was keen on chess and fairly good. Cottingham does not play.

There are some actors on board and they gave two short plays last night. I went to see them but, of course, could not make out much of what was going on.

I am looking forward to some letters at Principe; I expect there will be one travelling by this ship. I hope you are all well

Much love from
your affectionate son
Stanley

—————

Numbered ‘5th’ at the head. Three passages have been marked off in pencil by a later hand.

{1} João Gregório Duarte Ferreira.

EDDN/A/4/6 · Item · 20 Apr. 1919
Part of Papers of Sir Arthur Eddington

Transcript

The “Portugal”
Easter Sunday | April 20.

My very dear Mother

We are now in the Gulf of Guinea about 700 miles from Principe and I expect that we shall be there fairly early on Wednesday morning. The whole journey is about 4700 miles—1000 miles to Lisbon, 530 to Madeira, 1040 on to St Vincent and 2100 to Principe.

We reached St Vincent about 5 p.m on April 13, but did not go ashore that evening. We went on shore about 8.am the next day and came back in time for breakfast at 11. Three hours was quite long enough as there is nothing to see. There is scarcely a tree or a blade of grass on the island—all parched brown soil, and the town is very small. We filled up some time by going to the cable-station—the second largest in the world—They have very comfortable quarters there. We left St Vincent in the afternoon, and reached Praīa the capital of the Cape Verde Islands, situated on the island of S. Thiago the next morning. We only stayed there four hours, and did not go ashore. It looked very uninteresting and the island was almost as barren as S. Vincent.

Since reaching S. Vincent the weather has been damp, and rather misty though there is always hot sunshine. The temperature in the shade is 84 now, and it is generally over 80; the dampness makes it seem rather oppressive and it gets very close in the cabin—especially between 5 and 7∙a.m. when the porthole is closed whilst they wash the decks. Curiously enough I have been sleeping extremely well on this ship—I slept rather badly on the Anselm and at Madeira, but from the first night on board I have had extraordinarily good nights for me, and they still continue in spite of the oppressive heat.

Three of the English passengers left at S. Vincent, going to the cable station. One of them was a very nice fellow but we saw very little of him till the last day as he was a bad sailor. The other two were rather queer fish. There are now three English passengers besides ourselves—the sugar-refiner, the missionary and another Englishman who joined at St. Vincent. I thought at one time the sugar-refiner & the missionary were going to make a match of it, but I dont think there is anything in it now. There is one Portuguese Officer (in the army—not ship’s officer) who speaks English well and we see a lot of him. The Purser speaks a little English and is very pleasant.

The Portuguese were having some round games and tricks one evening which were quite amusing to watch. They were having the old trick of saying “botas sem sapotas”—“boots without shoes”, which was very funny as scarcely any knew it and they were all trying it at once. On Good Friday they had very good sports in which we joined—cock-fighting, egg and spoon races, threading the needle, and for the ladies a potatoe† race. Last night there was some function in the saloon; I have only the vaguest idea, what the speeches were about or what was the occasion, but I suddenly found that I had got to make a speech on behalf of the English passengers, which was translated sentence by sentence into Portuguese by the Portuguese Officer.

They give us ices now at tea time—or rather sorbets like we used to have on the Avon—but at that time it is the tea that is most appreciated. The food is not very attractive to our English tastes.

I do not know anything of what has been happening in the world generally since I left England. I have seen a Times for March 31, but that is the only newspaper I have seen except for the local Madeira paper which contained no general news. I have spent a bit of time learning Portuguese. I can read it pretty easily now, but I have scarcely begun to understand people speaking; it is very difficult to catch the sounds.

I expect the garden will have begun to look pretty now, and the May term will soon be beginning. I hope all goes well.

With very dear love from
your affectionate son
Stanley

—————

Numbered ‘6th’ at the head. Four passages have been marked off in pencil, and in one case emended, by a later hand.

† Sic.

EDDN/A/4/7 · Item · 29 Apr. –2 May 1919
Part of Papers of Sir Arthur Eddington

Transcript

Roça Sundy | Principe
Tuesday April 29.

My very dear Mother

Just a month to the eclipse; and today we have all our belongings at the site selected, and have started the work of erection.

We got our first sight of Principe at 9 o’clock in the morning of April 23, and it looked very charming. We had seen no land since leaving Cape Verde Islands; although we went within forty miles or so of Africa, it was always too misty to see the coast. We did not pass any ships. Occasionally we saw schools of porpoises playing about, and plenty of flying-fish, but no whales or sharks.

The island is thickly wooded down to the water’s edge, and looked very green after St. Vincent and S. Thiago. We dropped anchor about 11 o’clock in the bay of S. Antonio, and immediately after breakfast, a launch came out bringing our hosts who were expecting us. We had sent a wireless message to say we were on the Portugal, and the people out here had heard from Lisbon about the expedition.

I must first explain who are the principal people we have to do with on this island.

Mr. Carneiro is our host. He is rather a young man, and owns the largest private plantation. He has only been out here two years, but his family have had the plantation a long while. In Lisbon he was a well-known bull-fighter. (The Portuguese bull-fight is not like the Spanish, the horses and bulls are not killed.[)]

Mr Gragera is the manager for the Sociedade de Agricultura Colonial. He lives some way out of S. Antonio, and offered us sites on his plantation; but we found Mr Carneiro’s more favourable.

The Governor a very delightful man. He likes to try to speak rudimentary English, and to teach us Portuguese. He always collars my Portuguese dictionary when he sees me, and hunts up things to say.

The Judge

The Harbour-Master

The Curador, who is responsible for the imported labour—quite a young man.

The Treasurer

A clerk of Mr Carneiro’s, who lives in his house at S. Antonio and can speak a little English sometimes.

Mr Atalia, Mr Carneiro’s manager at Roça Sundy, the house where we are staying for the eclipse.

Mr Lewis | Mr Wright {1} Two negro’s from Sierra Leone who are the sole staff of the cable-station here. They are British, and interpret for us. But, of course they are only with us now and then. Mr Lewis came to meet us on the ship, but since then he has not been well, and we have seen more of Mr. Wright.

You see I do not mention any ladies—there do not seem to be any. The first night, there was a lady at dinner at Mr Carneiro’s, who spoke English very well, but she went to S. Thomé the same evening by the “Portugal”. We have not met any ladies since.

We were met on board by the Governor, Mr. Carneiro and Mr. Gragera, and we soon found that we were in clover. Everyone has been very kind, and they are not only anxious to give us a good time, but give us every help we need for our work. There are very good facilities here for everything we need, and our progress so far has been easy. You will know before getting this letter whether we have been successful; but I am afraid the weather prospects are not at all good from what we hear, and we shall be lucky if we get a clear sky.

We stayed until Monday morning (28th) at Mr Carneiro’s house in S. Antonio. It is a very nice new house not quite finished yet. We spent Thursday quietly. On Friday we started at 8∙a.m. to see two sites on the property of the Sociedade Agricultura Colonial. We went in a car drawn by two mules running on the lines of the light railway. We went first to Mr Gragera’s house Roça Esperança. It was too hemmed in by mountains to be a suitable site. We had breakfast there and afterwards went on to Roça S. Joaquin on the west coast of the island. This would have been a satisfactory site for us, if we had not afterwards found a better one. We arrived back about three o’clock.

On Saturday, we again started at 8 o’clock this time mounted on mules to visit Mr Carneiro’s chief plantation Roça Sundy. It was rather more than an hour’s ride (chiefly at a walking pace). The house is near the north-west corner of the island, away from the mountains, and on a plateau overlooking a bay about 500 feet below. We had noticed this house as we approached the island on the steamer. There was little difficulty in deciding that this was the most favourable spot; and there happened to be an enclosed piece of ground close to the house which just suited us. We look straight on to it from our bedroom window. It is sheltered on the east by a building and is open towards the sea on the west and north—just right for the eclipse. We arranged to have a small pier built for the coelostat to stand on, and to have our belongings brought over on Monday.

On Sunday they took us for a picnic at Ponto Mina, a point in the harbour of S. Antonio. We went by motor-launch. Mr Carneiro, the Treasurer, Curador, harbour-master and Mr Wright went with us. We landed and climbed up a little way to get a view, then had pic-nic breakfast, and afterwards went on in the launch all round the harbour. We saw a great shark close to the boat.

At four o’clock that afternoon we both played tennis with the Curador and the Judge. We had three very good sets and enjoyed the games very much. The court was on asphalte. There is no one else who plays tennis on the island now, so I think the other two were very glad to have the game—the Judge especially seemed to enjoy himself. I expect we shall get some more games when we return to the city. (We always call it the city—but S. Antonio is only a tiny village.)

The evenings at S. Antonio were very pleasant, sitting on the balcony in cool white clothes, with the sea just in front of us. Usually two or three of our friends here came round after dinner. Mr Carneiro has a splendid pianola and gramophone with any quantity of records—grand opera, etc. so we have had a lot of music. Punctually at nine o’clock the party breaks up and everyone goes to bed. Here in the country we keep earlier hours and bed-time is half-past eight!

Of course it is pretty hot here and moist, but I do not find the climate at all trying. We have rain for a short time almost every day, often very heavy, and I have found the macintosh very useful. There are not many mosquitoes, but we always sleep under curtains; and I take 3 grains of quinine every morning—the usual practice. The plantations are very beautiful, cocoa trees, bananas and bread-fruit trees growing together with a few coffee trees in places. The views of the mountains and the sea, with yellow sandy beaches are very fine. There are a great variety of butterflies, some of them very large and brightly-coloured.

The nicest fruit here is the pine-apple which grows wild; they have a very good flavour. The bananas are scarcely so good as in Madeira (except the red ones are very good); they grow to a great size, larger than our largest cucumbers, but the biggest are only good for roasting. We also have paw-paws and custard-apples, but I do not care so much for them. The meals are according to the usual foreign fashion, but they always have a meat or egg dish at petit déjeuner, so it is more like an English breakfast. We have afternoon tea—I think specially for our benefit as the Portuguese do not generally take it.

We came out here to Roça Sundy on Monday afternoon, riding on mules part of the way and then meeting a carriage which drove us the rest of the way. Our baggage turned up about five o’clock.

I have been writing this at odd moments and it has now got to Thursday. We have had a pretty busy time. We spent Tuesday & Wednesday erecting the two huts, and this morning we have begun setting up the apparatus. It rained very heavily last night—very conveniently for testing the waterproofness of the huts; they stood the deluge splendidly.

It is very comfortable here and we have all the assistance and facilities we need. About 600 native labourers are at work on the plantation and they have carpenters and mechanics at work so it is easy to get any small things required. We get on well with Mr. Atalia; I think it is pretty lonely for him out here and he is glad to have company. He speaks French to about the same extent that I do and we hold quite long conversations in the evenings. He was a cavalry officer and fought for the monarchy in 1910; after the republic was formed, he found it best to leave Portugal and lived in Spain & France until he came here four years ago. He is going to take us to hunt monkeys when we have time; there are large numbers in the plantation; they eat the cocoa, but they are very timid. Mr Carneiro has a most amusing little monkey at his house in the city, and it is very funny to see the monkey the cat and a tiny puppy all playing together.

I expect we shall be here about a week, getting on as far as we can without unpacking the mirror. We shall then return to the city until May 14. After that we shall be here continuously until we finish (after the eclipse). By May 14 the rain ought to be at an end. I do not want to unpack the mirror too soon because it will gradually tarnish.

I received your letter dated March 14 on arrival at Principe; there was also a letter from Newall (forwarded from Greenwich). That is all that has reached here yet. We expect the next mail about May 7. I was very glad to have news of you, but it seems very ancient news.

Mr Atalia has just showed us a tiny monkey brought in by one of the men. They shot its mother and it was clinging on to her; it would be about two months old. It is very tame and very mischievous.

I hope all is going well at home. The garden ought to be looking very pretty now. I hope to be back before the strawberries are over, we do not get any thing to equal them here

With very dear love from
your affectionate son
Stanley

[finished Friday May 2] {2}

—————

Numbered ‘7th’ at the head. One passage has been marked in pencil, and in one case emended, by a later hand.

{1} These two names are braced together, one above the other.

{2} The square brackets are in the MS.

EDDN/A/4/8 · Item · 5 May 1919
Part of Papers of Sir Arthur Eddington

Transcript

Roça Sundy | Principe
May 5.

My dear Winifred

We are pretty well advanced in our work of erection and are taking a holiday today so I may as well start a letter to you. It seems ages since I started off in a rush in the taxi from the Observatory, and as I have only got Mother’s letter of March 14 as yet I do not know what has been happening to you for a long while—indeed I do not know what has been happening in the world in general—whether peace has been signed or any important events have occurred. I hope Punch is well and getting some walks, wish him many happy returns of his birthday from me; I expect you will not get this much before that event.

It was awfully nice having nearly four weeks in Madeira. I do not think the delay made much difference to us; if we could have gone on at once and reached here a month earlier we could have got some check photographs, though it would have been a rush getting the instruments ready in time. Failing that, there was not much object in arriving here earlier; and as things here have been managed very expeditiously, we are now making time for a week.

Cottingham & I get along very well, and I find him a very useful companion and good company. He is just 50, so, of course, is not fond of very much exercise, and generally preferred pottering round in Madeira and talking to the people; so I sometimes went off alone. For our last ten days I was very glad to find a more active companion in Geoffrey Turner, a very jolly boy keen on butterflies, on swimming and on chess, so we had several common interests.

I expect Mother sends on my letters to some of our relatives, so I did not mention in them, that I played roulette, of course not seriously, but enough to get a good idea of it and experience the ups and downs of fortune. I lost, like almost everyone else does, chiefly at the beginning, and then had pretty even fortune. I was about a £1 down, when I stopped; but I could not grudge it them, as it lasted for a number of afternoons’ play, to say nothing of the fact that I used the grounds of the Casino and had a very good & cheap tea there most afternoons during my stay.

It was a good thing to have some time at Madeira, because one got accustomed to hot weather. Out here the thermometer keeps steady at about 80° day and night; but one scarcely realises it is so hot. The evenings feel quite cool and refreshing. We have to wear sun-helmets out of doors almost always.

The ‘Portugal’ was a fairly good boat; but there were no games or facilities for exercise like on most boats, and (what surprised me very much) no deck-chairs for hire. Apparently they expected people to bring their own chairs. The time seemed to pass rather slowly, and even I was glad when we came to the end of the voyage. Of course the English and Portuguese did not mix very much; but we played games with them sometimes, and I think were quite popular on that account because the English usually keep aloof. We had “rings on the string” and “musical chairs” one afternoon.

The Portuguese here are a very superior type to those we have met before—in particular, they do not spit about all the time, and suck toothpicks at meals. Mr Carneiro is I believe very wealthy; he was going to Lisbon early this month, but postponed going especially in order to entertain us. No one speaks more than a few words of English except the two negroes Lewis & Wright, and in S. Antonio conversation is fragmentary because our friends there do not know French either. But here Mr Atalia and I plunge recklessly into very bad French, and can talk freely. Cottingham does not speak any French.

I wonder if you are still rationed. It seemed funny on the boat at starting to see full sugar-basins, unlimited butter, and to eat in a day about as much meat as would have been a week’s ration. We have had no scarcity of anything since we started. I have, however, scarcely tasted ham or bacon (eggs have been plentiful). The milk was not good on the Portugal, and I have got into the habit of taking tea without milk, which is the usual Portuguese custom & is probably better in hot climates. I cannot get any swimming here, because of the sharks.

There are several dogs about here, one of them rather a nice terrier; but for the most part they are not up to much. Nipper the dog at the hotel attached himself to me very much and followed me almost everywhere, although I did not encourage him at all, as he was neither beautiful nor free from fleas. He used to like to come and spend hours hunting lizards whilst we bathed.

It gets dark here about 6 o’clock, and as one does not sit much inside the house, one does not want to stay up long. I am usually quite ready for bed by half-past eight!

Please give my kind regards to Mr Green. I hope he is getting on alright. I think I shall be back home not much later than the middle of July.

With much love from
your affectionate brother
Stanley

[Added at the head:] [I send {1} a letter to mother a few days ago which will probably arrive by same mail. This letter assumes you have read hers.] {2}

—————

Three passages have been marked off in pencil by a later hand.

{1} A slip for ‘sent’.

{2} The square brackets are in the MS.

EDDN/A/4/9 · Item · 21 June and 2 July 1919
Part of Papers of Sir Arthur Eddington

Transcript

S.S. “Zaire”
1919 June 21

My very dear Mother

I will write a little to tell you about the rest of my experiences in Principe; but it is doubtful if you will receive this before I arrive. I have only had two letters from you—the second written about March 28 reached me about May 11. Since then there have been no mails from Europe, and in fact we expect to pass tomorrow (at S. Vincent) the outward boat which will be taking the next batch of letters to Principe.

We stayed just a week at Sundy on our first visit, then returned to S. Antonio for a week, and finally returned to Sundy on May 13 and stayed there until our steamer sailed on June 12. Nothing much happened during the week at S. Antonio except that most afternoons we played tennis, generally with the Curador and Judge.

We were ready to take the first photographs about May 16, and as the nights were generally clear we had no difficulty in getting the check photographs. These had to be taken between 12∙30 and 1 a.m; we took them on three different nights. The developing also had to be done at night and, owing to the special difficulties due to the high temperature of the water (78°), was a slow business. So we were often up pretty late during this period. In the day time I had a good deal of work measuring these check photographs.

The last heavy rain fell about May 9 and shortly afterwards the Gravana or cool season began. There was practically no rain, but a good deal of cloud in the day-time, and the conditions seemed rather less favourable for the eclipse than during the rainy season. However there were a number of beautifully clear days, and usually at least part of the day was clear. The two days before the eclipse were about the most unfavourable we had.

On the morning of the eclipse Mr Carneiro, the Curador, Judge, Mr Wright and three Doctors came over. Just as they arrived a tremendous rain-storm came on, the heaviest we have seen. It was most unusual at that time of the year; but it was favourable for the eclipse as it helped to clear the sky. The rain stopped about no[o]n (the eclipse was at 2∙15). There were a few gleams of sunshine after the rain, but it soon clouded over again. About 1∙30 when the partial phase was well advanced, we began to get glimpses of the sun, at 1∙55 we could see the crescent (through cloud) almost continuously, and there were large patches of clear sky appearing. We had to carry out our programme of photographs in faith. I did not see the eclipse, being too busy changing plates, except for one glance to make sure it had begun, and another half-way through to see how much cloud there was. We took 16 photographs (of which 4 are not yet developed). They are all good pictures of the sun, showing a very remarkable prominence; but the cloud has interfered very much with the star-images. The first 10 photographs show practically no stars. The last 6 show a few images which I hope will give us what we need; but it is very disappointing. Everything shows that our arrangements were quite satisfactory, and with a little clearer weather we should have got splendid results. Ten minutes after the eclipse the sky was beautifully clear, but it soon clouded again.

We developed the photographs 2 each night for 6 nights after the eclipse, and I spent the whole day measuring. The cloudy weather upset my plans and I had to treat the measures in a different way from what I had intended; consequently I have not been able to make any preliminary announcements of the result. But the one good plate that I measured gave a result agreeing with Einstein and I think I have got a little confirmation from a second plate.

We had a number of excursions to different places on the island chiefly on Sundays. We had a monkey-hunting expedition, but did not see any except in the distance. We were singularly unfortunate in not seeing monkeys because there are enormous crowds of them about and numbers of men are employed simply in scaring them away from the cocoa. Another interesting expedition was to Lola, a dependency of Sundy where there was a specially fine crop of cocoa. It was a very fine sight to see the large golden pods in such numbers—almost as though the forest had been hung with Chinese lanterns.

Another day we went to Lapa in the estate of the Sociedade Agricultura Colonial and had lunch on the beach off fish which we watched being caught. Lapa is a very beautiful spot at the foot of a fine sugar-loaf mountain. All the beaches are very pretty—a strip of golden sand between the cocoanut palms and the blue sea. I had a good bathe at Lapa—the only time in Principe,—a black man went with me to see that I did not go too near the sharks.

Another time we went to near Bombom to see the ruins of the palace of Marie Corelli (that was not quite her name, but it was something very near it). She was a famous slave dealer about ninety years ago. Her palace on the beach is all in ruins but it must have been a huge place. Her church is there also—quite a fine ruin.

We liked Mr Atalia immensely. He was very lively and amusing and extremely good to us in every way. After dinner we used to sit out in front of the house and there was generally a succession of natives came up to interview him on all sorts of matters. They evidently have great respect and confidence in him.

We had to return by this boat the “Zaire” (although it was rather earlier than I liked) because there will not be another boat leaving Principe until about August 1. There has been a dispute between the company and the government about passage rates, and no boats have left Lisbon for a long while. This boat is tremendously crowded and we should not have got a passage on it; but for the help of the Governor who managed to get places commandeered for us.

I got a bit of fever two days before starting (otherwise I have had splendid health all the time) and was feeling rather bad when I got on board but the sea-air has soon set me right again. It left me a bit weak for the first three or four days—in fact I fainted one night—but it has quite gone now.

Mr. Carneiro is on the ship—returning to Portugal for three months. There are also 4 English missionaries from Angola. They knew about us from Mrs Williams the missionary we met on the Portugal. One of them Mrs Stober is a friend (a Williamson of Cockermouth) related to John Hall. Her husband (who is not a Friend) is a very nice fellow; he was the founder of the mission.

It has been a little rougher this voyage than when we came out; but nothing to speak of. Of course, a lot of passengers have been ill; it is very bad for them being so crowded on the boat. There are lots of children and in some cabins there are as many as seven people. There are three in our cabin—a Portuguese and Cottingham & myself.

We reached Praia last night after 8¼ days from Principe. This is a slow boat and I do not expect we shall reach Lisbon until June 30.

We were very delighted to receive a telegram from Dyson saying that the Brazil party had been successful; we often wondered how they were getting on.

I suppose I shall be back about July 10. I shall look forward to the strawberries, which are better than anything they have in the tropics.

With very dear love to both
Your affectionate son
Stanley

Lisbon, July 2. I expect we shall reach Liverpool about July 15 by R.M.S.P. Line. Ships very crowded and scarce.

—————

The postscript was written in pencil. Two passages have been marked off in pencil by a later hand.

EDDN/A/5/1 · Item · 9 Nov. 1909
Part of Papers of Sir Arthur Eddington

Transcript

Victoria Park, Manchester
Novr 9. 1909

Dear Mr Eddington,

May I ask you—in confidence—whether you consider yourself definitely fixed to “Astronomy” or whether you would at all consider a return to Physics as possible.—I am not at liberty to go into details but the question arises whether in case a chair of Theoretical Physics were founded here or elsewhere and suitable conditions were offered you would be prepared to accept the chair.—Also in that case it might help matters if you wd let me know what conditions you would consider acceptable.

You may take it for granted that the duties wd leave you plenty of time for private work and that nothing wd prevent you continuing to prosecute the line of research on which you have entered with such success

I remain
Yours sincerely
Arthur Schuster.

EDDN/A/5/2 · Item · 15 Nov. 1909
Part of Papers of Sir Arthur Eddington

Transcript

(copy)

Royal Observatory, Greenwich, London, S.E.
1909 Nov. 15

Dear Dr. Schuster

You will, I am sure, not be surprised that I have delayed a little replying to your important letter. I had not at all thought of such a change, and it was a matter requiring very careful consideration. Whilst the idea of returning to Physics, and perhaps especially to academic work, was in many respects attractive, I have however decided that it is best for me not to leave my present work. I need not trouble you with the reasons that have led me to this difficult decision; rightly or wrongly I have concluded that the suggestion and opportunities that I meet with in a large observatory are more likely to lead to good research work on my part {1} than any I could hope for elsewhere.

With many thanks
yours sincerely
A. S. Eddington

—————

The letter is headed ‘copy’ but, since it contains a correction, it is probably a draft.

{1} ‘the suggestion …. on my part’ has been altered from ‘the suggestion and opportunities of research work that I meet with in a large observatory are more likely to lead to good results on my part’.

EDDN/A/5/3 · Item · 21 May 1936
Part of Papers of Sir Arthur Eddington

Transcript

Observatory, Cambridge
21 May 1936

Dr W. M. Smart’s application for the Chair of Regius Professor of Astronomy in the University of Glasgow has my warmest support. He is a man of established reputation in astronomical circles who would fill the office with distinction; and he has proved himself very successful as a lecturer and teacher. He would be much missed from this Observatory and from the University; but promotion to a professorial chair would be a fitting recognition of his work.

Dr Smart has been Chief Assistant in the Observatory and John Couch Adams Astronomer since 1921. There is only one other Assistant. The policy of the Observatory has been to avoid routine undertakings and to develop new methods. Two main lines of work have been developed during his tenure—an improved method of determining photographic proper motions of stars, and measurement of stellar magnitudes with a photo-electric cell. As regards the former it may, I think, be claimed that the Cambridge results set a new standard of accuracy for large series of proper motions. Photo-electric work is still confined to two or three observatories (Cambridge being the only British one). After a long struggle with pioneer difficulties the work is now proceeding with great success, and astonishing accuracy is obtained. A large share of the credit for these results is due to Dr Smart.

On the theoretical side his earlier work was in celestial mechanics. But in connection with the practical work above-mentioned his more recent interests have {1} been mainly in proper motions and other branches of stellar statistics, to which he is one of the most active contributors. He is a member of the Commission of the International Astronomical Union on Stellar Parallaxes and Proper Motions.

His teaching work covers elementary lectures on astronomy, advanced lectures on celestial mechanics and on stellar motions and a practical class at the observatory. Judging from the response of the students he is a stimulating lecturer. He normally supervises one or two research students.

An important part of his experience is his work as Secretary of the Royal Astronomical Society during the last five years. This brings him into touch with astronomers in all parts of the world, so that he is in full contact with all modern developments. It is perhaps not irrelevant to mention that he is Treasurer of the Royal Astronomical Society Dining Club—an office (of which the duties are by no means confined to the care of money) which is a tribute to his popularity with his colleagues.

To sum up:—He has shown himself able to make the most of the resources of a small observatory; he is well-known and esteemed internationally; he is successful with students; and is well used to administrative activity.

—————

The various cancelled words and passages in this letter have not been recorded, except for the mistaken deletion noted below.

{1} Struck through by mistake.

R./1.76 · File · 1819-1833
Part of Manuscripts in Wren Class R

A collection of some of the printed material and letters received by Whewell between 1819 to 1833, of which the materials relating to the Cambridge elections of 1829 and 1830 form a part.

Whewell, William (1794-1866), college head and writer on the history and philosophy of science
Crewe MS/8/f. 37r · Part · 1 June 1831
Part of Crewe Manuscripts

Transcript

A Sa Majesté la Reine des Français.

Madame,

Un de vos plus fidèles sujets a l’honneur d’adresser à Votre Majesté une respectueuse invitation pour qu’elle daignat honorer de sa présence le double spectacle des course de chevaux libres et de l’ascension d’un Aéronaute avec une flotille de cinq Ballons pourvoisés qui devaient avoir lieu au champ-de-Mars dimanche dernier.

La fête de Versailles où Votre Majesté devait assister, ne m’ayant pas permis d’espérer qu’Elle pût satisfaire à nos vœux, je me suis empressé de remettre mon Ascension au dimanche suivant 5 Juin.

Je viens encore supplier Votre Majesté de vouloir bien m’accorder la précieuse faveur que j’avais sollicité, et de daigner honorer de sa présence la fête du champ-de-Mars, dédiée à la Garde Nationale. Cette faveur serait un sujet de joie bien vive pour la nombreuse population qui sera dumoins† je l’espère, témoin de mon expérience et sutour pour celui qui ose ce dire Madame,

De Votre Majesté,

Le très-humble, très-obéissant et très-fidèle sujet,
Eugène Robertson

Paris, le 1er Juin 1831.
Place des Victoires, No. 5.

—————

† Sic.

O./11.5b · Item · 25 Sept. 1944
Part of Manuscripts in Wren Class O

Standlands, River, Petworth, Sussex.—Refers to his catalogue of English manuscripts in the Library of Trinity College (see O.11.5), and to his plan—long since abandoned—of compiling a corpus of all English manuscript works down to 1500.

—————

Transcript

Standlands, River, Petworth, Sussex
25 Sept. 1944

Dear Bennett

When I drew up that catalogue of 100 English MSS at Trinity, at the time I was librarian, I naturally hoped that the College might see its way to print it. Then came the last war and any idea of the sort had of course to be abandoned. By the time things settled down again I was busy in other fields, and moreover the catalogue I knew had become in some respects out of date. Had I examined it I should probably also have found it unsatisfactory. So I did no more about it and finally deposited the MS in the Library for the use of any one who might be interested. I need hardly say that it is at the disposal of you or of any body else who should be able to use it as a basis for further work.

During the last war I dreamed of compiling a corpus of all English manuscript works down to 1500. It would have been a big undertaking. I estimated, on a very rough basis, that there [are] some 5000 MSS surviving, exclusive of legal and diplomatic documents, private letters, and collections of recipes. I envisaged the work in three parts. (1) A catalogue, possibly roughly chronological, of the actuall† MSS, with full bibliographical descriptions, giving particular attention to the make-up and growth of the MSS when these were not written all at one time. (2) A catalogue of the works they contained, giving the MSS of each and such information as was possible concerning the relation of the MSS. (3) An atlas containing some hundreds of facsimiles of pages from the manuscripts, especially the dated or datable ones, with transcripts and palaeographical notes. I also had in mind a catalogue of all works to 1500 giving a brief literary account of each with and† specimen of some 50 lines transcribed exactly from the oldest or most authentic MS. An ambitious project! which I need not say I have long since abandoned.

Best wishes

Yours
W. W. Greg

—————

Marked at the head in pencil, ‘Letter to H S Bennett, Emmanuel College, given by H S Bennett to Trinity College Library.’

R./2.40/No. 4 · Part · 11 July 1813
Part of Manuscripts in Wren Class R

Transcript

My dear Sir

I forgot to add to the List the following caution which you can insert—

“Never attempt to move antiquities, &c, by means of a firmaun from Constantinople. The only effectual mode of proceeding is by bribing the local Governors, called Aghas, Waiwodes, &c.”

——————————

You are very kind to offer to execute commissions for me. I shall be much obliged to you to enquire if Lusieri, at Athens, received the Thermometer, &c, which I sent to him by Lord Byron’s Servant.

Also to ascertain, by your own testimony, the truth or falsehood of this assertion which I have constantly made; viz. that the Boccaz of Samos, and the Island of Patmos, may be seen in very clear weather from the top of Mount Hymettus.

If you should want a common Greek Servant and Interpreter, you would find Antonio Manurâchi who lives at Constantinople to be quite a treasure. He understands collecting Medals, Plants, Marbles—is a very good Cook, Musician, &c, &c.—

I think you should also insert in your List one more Memorandum—namely

“To attend to the remains of the painted gothic style of Arch in the Levant, and ascertain the age of any such building”.

I have sent a short note for Lord Byron.

Most truly yours
E. D. Clarke.

Trumpington
July 11th 1813.

—————

No direction or marks of posting.

R./2.40/No. 5 · Part · 26 July 1813
Part of Manuscripts in Wren Class R

Transcript

Trumpington July 26. 1813.

My dear Sir

The Answer to your Letter may be comprized in very few words.

The route by Azof, or rather Taganrog, to the Caspian, might conduct you with all possible ease to Tarky (Terky) near Derbent (Derbend) upon the frontier of Persia, where you would find my old friend Orazai to whom I could give you a Letter. (See my first Vol. P. 47. second Edit.) {1} But I should, for myself, by much prefer the route through Asia Minor. It has, as you say, been often passed—but we know nothing of it—either of its antiquities, natural history, statistics, or anything else.—The other route is all among Scythians—upon my life you will not like it!—There is not a single object of interest or information the whole way—it is all one flat, melancholy, unwholesome region of nothingness—Russi—inter Christianos Βαρβαρωτατοι.—

Pray add the following to your List of instructions for Turkey.

1. Never attempt to move or to obtain Antiquities &c, &c, by means of a firmaun—do all these things by bribing the local Aghas, or Governors, with trifling gifts—a pair of cheap Pistols—a pocket telescope—a pocket knife—a razor—&c, &c.—your highest bribe must be a Watch with Turkish figures, worth in London about 4£ {2}.—

2. Dig upon the Site of the Temple of Bacchus at Naxos.—

3. Arragonite, worth ten Guineas a Specimen was found by me in the Grotto of Antipasos—Tennant is now employed in its analysis—I mistook it for common Stalactite of carbonated Lime. The interior of those Stalactites are radiated and sparry like this [There follows a sketch of a stalactite.] Pray attend to this—it is of some importance. Tennant made the discovery in my Lecture Room. Those Stalactites are white as snow—and may be from two inches, to two feet in diameter. You cannot bring home a more interesting specimen for natural history; as affecting the origin of the rarest mineral we have, and the only Anomaly in Hauy’s theory of Crystallization. Remember me most particularly to Lord Byron. Tell him I never can keep a copy of his poems one instant in the House. The Giaour is universally in favour[.] Send [me] {3} home some lumps of common Parian Marble from the old Quarry—mere lumps of the size of your head—for the Lecture. Also of the Pentelican from Athens—and pray ask if Lusieri has received my little present, by Lord Byron’s Servant.

Yrs truly
E. D. Clarke.

Tennant desires me to add that he wishes you would leave word at his rooms in the Temple how long you continue in Town?

[Direction:] William Clark Esqr | to the care of the | Lord Byron [In the bottom left corner:] 36 Craven St

—————

{1} Travels in Various Countries of Europe, Asia, and Africa, vol. i (2nd ed., 1810). The page number should be 49, where a description of Orazai begins.

{2} The pound sign is written above the figure.

{3} The paper is damaged here slightly.

R./2.40/No. 6 · Part · 27 Nov. 1813
Part of Manuscripts in Wren Class R

(The direction, which is not included in the text printed by Marchand, is ‘To Dr. W. Clarke | Trin. Coll. | Cambridge’, with ‘1813 | London Novr. twenty seventh’ above, and ‘Byron’ in the bottom left corner. There are no marks of posting.)

R./2.40/No. 10 · Part · 18 Mar. 1872
Part of Manuscripts in Wren Class R

Transcript

South Cave | Brough | East Yorkshire
March 18th, 1872

Dear Sir,

I should have been glad had it been in my power to put you in the way of obtaining for publi-cation the autograph letter of Lord Byron which you say that your father, the late W Clark Rector of Guiseley, presented to my Aunt, Mrs Busfeild of Upwood. She has been dead now thirty three years; but in her life-time I never heard her mention the being in possession of such a letter, nor have I the remotest idea of what has become of it. I have caused a diligent search to be made, but all in vain.

With much regret for your disappointment,

Believe me
Yours faithfully
W Busfeild.

[Docketed, by Clark:] March 18. 1872 | Mr Busfeild—on Ld Byron’s letter

R./2.40/No. 11 · Part · 25 Mar. 1872
Part of Manuscripts in Wren Class R

Transcript

South Cave Yorkshire
March 25th, 1872

Dear Sir,

My cousin, Mr J. A. Busfeild who now tenants Upwood, has discovered a short autograph letter of Lord Byron, and has sent me a Copy which I forward to you. From its brevity I fear it will hardly answer your expectation[,] but at least you may like to know what was its natur[e] and purport

Believe me
Yours very faithfu[lly]
W Busfeild

[Docketed, by Clark:] March 25. W. Busfeild | Byron’s letter.

—————

The back leaf of the sheet has been torn away, and the ends of a couple of lines are missing.

R./2.40/No. 3 · Part · c. July 1813
Part of Manuscripts in Wren Class R

Transcript

1. A servant (not an Englishman) who understands cooking.

2. A bed w[hic]h shuts up into a portmanteau—canteens, every article in w[hic]h ought to be made of metal; as glass & earthenware cannot be purchased in Greece.

3. Take your clothes &c in portmanteaus, not in trunks, as the former are more easily packed on the backs of horses, & are not so easily broken as the latter.

4. A small medicine chest. Take particularly James’s powder & Bark both of w[hic]h saved my life. You cannot have too much bark with you, as what you procure in the Levant is very bad; & you will be perpetually asked for it by the Greeks.

5. Flannel—w[hic]h is not to be procured in Greece, & in case of illness is very important.

6. I sh[oul]d recommend a tent. It is not indispensable; but it is better than bivouacing, or sleeping in the dirty cottages of the country. With a bed, tent & cooking apparatus, you may defy the filth of the Grecian Khans & houses w[hic]h is not inconsiderable.

7. A military cloth cloak, water-proof & made so as to cover you completely while lying down.

8. As the winters are very short you will want very few woollen clothes—take plenty of nankeen & other thin dresses.

9. Lay in a good stock of tea either at Malta or Gilbraltar. In Greece it is very scarce & bad; & after fatigue or during illness it is most valuable. Coffee you will get every where. If you have plenty of room in your baggage a cargo of portable soup you will find very often of service.

10 Do not omit to take an umbrella—not for protection against rain, but against the sun.

11. Begin your days journey before sun rise—& lie by during the heat of the day. Avoid the evening dews & in every thing conform to the customs & advice of the natives

11. Take a Thermometer—a long tape line divided into feet & inches for the measurement of buildings—a foot rule—a compass—knives—pencils—with powder—telescope—pistols—a sword &c &c. If you have not use for all these things you will find them very acceptable presents to the natives when you wish to oblige any one.

12. Arrowsmiths large map of Constantinople & its environs. It is in general very correct though deficient in names. In going from place to place mark carefully the number of hours it takes you to perform the stage—& the name of every village & town, or the road, omitted by Arrowsmith. Such an itinerary through Greece wd be very valuable—By your compass mark particularly the course of the famous rivers.

13. D’Anvilles maps of antient Geography w[hic]h will be invaluable to you in a tour through Greece. He is sometimes wrong in the position he assigns to antient towns & you will be able to correct him.

14 Voyage de jeune Anacharsis. The edition in 3 large 8vo Vols with maps & plans I found very useful. Take also Chandler’s travels

15 I sh[oul]d take a Hist. of Greece—perhaps Gellius is best for a tour—& a good selection of Greek Authors—Homer—Strabo & Pausanias are quite necessary. You will read in the verses of the former, descriptions of manners w[hic]h are not yet extinct amongst the Greeks & I particularly request you to notice all the domestic arrangements, or religious ceremonies of the modern Greeks. I received a great deal of amusement from that research & generally found the prototype in the antient poets. It is surprising how little they have changed in many respects.

16. Villoison in the preface to his Homer says that in a mountainous district between Epidaurus & Nauplia in the Peloponnesus, dwell {1} the Tzacones, descended from the Spartans, who retain the antient form of expression more than any of the Greeks. This will be a very curious subject to investigate if you have an opportunity

17. If you go to Yanina there are several objects of research in the neighbourhood. At a small distance are the ruins of a theatre w[hic]h is supposed to be on the scite of the antient Cassiope†. It is one of the finest in Greece. Make a tour from Yannia to Suli. In that neighbourhood is the district in w[hic]h the antients placed the descent to the Infernal regions. Two rivers flow near Suli supposed to be Cocytus & Acheron. Trace them to the sea & observe whether they do not first fall into a marsh or lake, the Acherusia palus, according to the description of Thucydides B. I. The whole tract of country near Suli is well worth seeing independent of its classical interest as its features are of a very grand & sublime cast. To the N. of Yanina the ruins of Dodona at the distance of some days journey are still visible as I was informed by a Greek of information Athanas Balidar {1} with w[ho]m you will become acquainted at Yanina

18. Visit the vale of Tempe w[hic]h is very beautiful—Ælian’s description (in his Var. Hist.) you will find very accurate[.]. Visit Caterina a place under Olympus to the N. of Tempe. There are in it I was informed marbles & inscriptions w[hic]h may perhaps be important. Ascertain if possible the height of Olympus & the other great mountains as Parnassus & Pindus.

Alisson {1} to the N. of the Peneus you may visit & try to make out the inscriptions there w[hic]h are much defaced. At Thermopylæ trace the pass. You will find the warm springs & some of the river mentioned; as the Spercheus—but the pass is very much widened except in some parts.

Delphi is a very interesting place. The remains of the temple of Apollo are under a shed at the top of the village & the walls are covered with inscriptions. The Castalian fountain falls between the two peaks of Parnassus. You may search for the Corycian cave w[hic]h has not yet been determined. By Pausanias’ account it is some way up the mountain. There is a stadium above the village. The Games were celebrated below in the vale. Try to find the Hippodrome

At Livadia try to determine from Pausanias w[hic]h is the cave of Trophonius; what they shew you as such may possibly be so but in some respects it does not answer to his description.

At Thebes there is hardly any thing to be seen. You may determine from the Poets & Historians w[hic]h is the Cadmæa†, the mountain of the Sphinx—& Dirce.

On the road from Thebes to Athens you will pass over mount Parnes—& about the place where you first get a view of Athens, was situated Phyle. There is an old ruined tower in this position w[hic]h I conjectured to have been part of Phyle. This you may investigate

The frontier town of Decelia w[hic]h was fortified by the Spartans in the Peloponessian war was situated somewhere on this range—though I imagine further to the East & nearer Athens. Its position has often been enquired after & never accurately determined. It will be worth while to pay some attention to its investigation. From some passages in Thucyd. & Xenophon it appears that it was so near the Piræus that ships sailing into that port were discernible from it. It was therefore on high ground & you may probably find its scite somewhere on the Northern parts of the plain of Athens between Parnes & Hymettus.

Between Livadia & Thebes visit Chæronea & Orchomenus where are marbles & inscriptions. Here & every where else copy faithfully what inscriptions you see[.] Near Chæronea see whether there are any remains of the Copaic {2} lake, & whether it is as famous for its eels now as it was in the time of Aristophanes.

At Athens you will find a† excellent Cicerone in Famuel† who will explain & point out every thing. There are there two rivers the Ilissus to the E. of the Acropolis—the Cephissus to the W. I want to know whether they unite before they reach the sea. Will you take the trouble to ascertain this—& also whether we dont pass over a bridge across the Cephissus in the way to the Piræus

Near Sunium try to find the remains of the mines w[hic]h were worked by the Athenians

Visit the I. of Ægina where there is a beautiful temple

Crossing from Ægina to the Peloponessus go to Epidaurus & from thence to a place called Tero {1}, where there are several ruins particularly a very magnificent theatre the finest in Greece.

Go from thence to Argos, Nauplia di Romania, Tiryns a very curious old town the walls of w[hic]h are as old as Homer’s time—Mycenæ, where are some very interesting ruins—Nemea

From Argos go to Tripolizza & in the neighbourhood see the {1} ruins of Tegea & Mantinæa. At the latter place observe the course of the river. It was turned I think by Agis, when he besieged the place, so as to make a breach in the walls of the town.

From Tripolizza to Leondari & from thence to Sparta. The ruins of old Sparta are very inconsiderable, & situated about 2 miles to the E. of the modern town Alistra {1}. Observe whether in going from Leondari to Sparta you cross the Eurotas, or whether you keep all the way on the left bank

From Sparta visit Mania†, if possible, though I believe it is an enterprise attended with some difficulty. The Maniotes are independent, & do not acknowledge the power of the Turks. They are the only Greeks who have preserved their freedom.

From Sparta cross Taÿgetus to Calamata, or if that is not practicable return to Leondari & from thence proceed along the Southern parts of Arcadia w[hic]h are very beautiful to Caritena & Andruzzena. At the latter place enquire for a guide to shew you the σηλαι {1} & you will be conducted to the ruins of the temple of Apollo Epicurus at Phygalia, which are situated on the borders of Arcadia & Messenia in a most romantic solitude.

From hence visit Messenia if you can. I did not see it, & therefore cannot give you any directions.

From Andruzzena go to Olympia (now called Miracca) & endeavour to determine the position of the temple of Jupiter[,] the stadium, the Altis or sacred grove[,] the Cronium or hill of Saturn mentioned so often by Pindar.

From Olympia to Pyrgo[,] thence to Gastugni, in the neighbourhood of w[hic]h are the ruins of Elis w[hic]h are insignificant—thence to Patrass & so on along the romantic shores of Achaia to Corinth.

At Corinth see an old temple, & if possible get admittance to the Acro-Corinthus.

Near Corinth see Basilices {1} the antient Sicyon.

Investigate the Isthmus—Lechæum & Cenchreae the two ports of Corinth & see whether you can find any remains of the canal w[hic]h was begun across the narrowest part of the Isthmus. The ruins of the wall built by the Peloponessians are visible

Cross part of Mt Œneus {1}, & Cithæron to Megara. On the road are very fine views of the Isthmus & the two seas.

From Megara to Eleusis & thence to the Via Sacra of Athens.

Keep a full & accurate journal of every thing you see, w[hic]h you ought to write on the spot, & never trust to memory even for a day.

—————

Superscript letters indicating abbreviations have been lowered, and the missing letters supplied in square brackets, e.g. ‘w[hic]h’.

{1} Reading uncertain.

{2} Followed by a superfluous comma.

† Sic.

Letter from Charles Babbage
Add. MS a/200/192 · Item · 15 May 1820
Part of Additional Manuscripts a

Devonshire Rd, Portland Place - Babbage received WW's thirty guineas and has paid 31 for his fees at the Royal Society. Three members of the Astronomical Society have donated 100 guineas toward the Cambridge Observatory (50 came from William Pearson). 'Sir J. B [Joseph Banks] is about to resign and has recommended Davies Gilbert. But all sorts of plans speculations and schemes are afloat, and all sorts of people proper and improper are penetrated with the desire of wielding the sceptre of science. Whether this elective throne shall be filled by a philosopher or peer a priest or prince is a problem pendent on the fortuitous course of events. The Society is in a position of unstable equilibrium or rather it is like a comet which has not made up its mind whether it shall soberly circulate round the light of truth or traverse boundless space through endless time frying and damning the predestined infidels of other systems until some starry giant shall fascinate to its destruction this erring ball which has "run a muck" through creation'.