Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1896 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER IX. SCIENTIFIC WORK.--ELECTRICAL THEORIES. Clerk Maxwell's first electrical paper--that on Faraday's "Lines of Force"--was read to the Cambridge Philosophical Society on December 10th, 1855, and Part II. on February 11th, 1856. The author was then a Bachelor of Arts, only twenty-three years in age, and of less than one year's standing from the time of taking his degree. The opening words of the paper are as follows (Scientific Papers, voL i., p. 155): -- "The present state of electrical science seems peculiarly unfavourable to speculation. The laws of the distribution of electricity on the surface of conductors have been analytically deduced from experiment; some parts of the mathematical theory of magnetism are established, while in other parts the experimental data are wanting; the theory of the conduction of galvanism, and that of the mutual attraction of conductors, have been reduced to mathematical formulas, but have not fallen into relation with the other parts of the science. No electrical theory can now be put forth, unless it shows the connection, not only between electricity at rest and current electricity, but between the attractions and inductive effects of electricity in both states. Such a theory must accurately satisfy those laws, the mathematical form of which is known, and must afford the means of calculating the effects in the limiting cases where the known formula? are inapplicable. In order, therefore, to appreciate the requirements of the science, the student must make himself familiar with a considerable body of most intricate mathematics, the mere retention of which in the memory materially interferes with further progress. The first process, therefore, in the effectual study of the science, must be one of...
