John William Strutt, third baron Rayleigh, O.M., F.R.S., sometime president of the Royal society and chancellor of the University of Cambridge / by his son Robert John Strutt, fourth baron Rayleigh.

  • Robert Strutt, 4th Baron Rayleigh
Date:
1924
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: John William Strutt, third baron Rayleigh, O.M., F.R.S., sometime president of the Royal society and chancellor of the University of Cambridge / by his son Robert John Strutt, fourth baron Rayleigh. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    I can remember this visit, and was very much impressed when I was told that the visitor was an even cleverer man than my father. I had a small horse-shoe magnet, as a childish treasure, and he suggested that I should fetch it: but it had been confiscated for some offence in the nursery. It was eventually released in honour of the occasion, and he showed me how the attractive power was concentrated at the ends. In July, 1882, the family party at Cambridge was diminished by a tragedy. Frank Balfour was killed by a fall with his guide from the hitherto unclimbed Aiguille Blanche. I well remember when the telegram giving the news was brought in. I was in the drawing-room at the time, and was naturally sent upstairs at once, which I regarded as a grievance. Although Frank Balfour’s line of work—-animal morphology —had little in common with Rayleigh’s, his personal know¬ ledge of Cambridge men had been of value to him when the Cavendish Laboratory organization was being built up. Rayleigh, in spite of the caution and moderation of his character, always tended to be what is now called a “ die hard ” in politics. On the subject of Ireland he was a Conservative to the backbone. The Irish Land Bill of 1882 particularly roused his ire. “ A thoroughly rotten Bill,” as he described it. He wrote from Cambridge, August 12th, 1882 — “ As to the miserable business in the House of Lords, I feel at present inclined to join in the attack on the institution as useless. I got a telegram from Arthur [Balfour] about 1 o’clock saying that certainly I should be wanted [to vote] and went up with the idea that the thing was to be fought out. A second telegram sent after the meeting in Arlington Street was too late. I heard that not more than about 20 were in favour of standing out, though some more would have followed Lord S. in a division. Nothing could have been gained by pressure, because even if the amend¬ ment could have been insisted upon now, a retreat would have followed a second sending up of the bill, which Gladstone under these circumstances would have been sure to have done. I dined in Arlington Street afterwards. Arthur and Mr. Hope were there. “ The newspapers are down upon Lord S. ; but he seems to me to have done right in a very difficult position.”