100 YEARS AGO

The Groundwork of Science; a Study of Epistemology. By St. George Mivart. The chief definite conclusions which are drawn are that it (the universe) cannot consist of one kind of energy only, that it is impossible that intellect can have been evolved from mere physical force, and that animals show no signs of latent intellectuality. It is further insisted “that the portion of truth which we are able to attain to in our investigations of the cosmos, is but an unimaginably small portion of the whole”; a statement which will, we imagine, not be seriously challenged by workers in science. To the latter, viz. the science workers, Dr. Mivart devotes some attention in the concluding pages of his book. The narrowing effect of extreme specialism upon the mind is an undoubted evil ⃛. But there is the opposite evil of becoming diffuse to the extent of a practically useless attenuation of the mental faculties.

From Nature 20 April 1899.

50 YEARS AGO

Mr. H. E. Hadley, well known as the author of many elementary text-books of physics, died on March 6, at the age of eighty-two. Mr. Hadley had lived rather a retired life. He was appointed headmaster of a small science school in Kidderminster, where he combined with physics a lectureship in chemistry. In those days, physics was considered of less importance than chemistry; but Mr. Hadley was always at heart a physicist. ⃛ Mr. Hadley was a contemporary of Sir Richard Gregory and H. G. Wells at [The Royal College of Science, London], and from his training there and association with C. V. Boys he acquired a special genius for making his physical apparatus. His teaching equipment at Kidderminster was largely of his own making, and it would seem that this gave physics an added attraction to his students.

We regret to announce the following death: Mr. Will Hay, well known as an actor and also a distinguished amateur astronomer, on April 18, aged sixty.

From Nature 23 April 1949.

Many more extracts like these can be found in ABedside Nature: Genius and Eccentricity in Science, 1869-1953, a 266-page book edited by Walter Gratzer. Contact Lisa O'Rourke. e-mail: l.orourke@nature.com