| RefNo | MS/603/10/129 |
| Previous numbers | 1901 |
| Level | Item |
| Title | Letter from D'Arcy W [Wentworth] Thompson, St Andrews, to [Joseph] Larmor |
| Creator | Thompson; Sir D'Arcy Wentworth (1860-1948); British zoologist and classical scholar |
| Recipient | Larmor; Sir Joseph (1857-1942); Irish theoretical physicist |
| Date | 18 January 1919 |
| Description | He has been long in replying to Larmor's letter of 28 December. He considers the puzzling question of why shell spirals are generally so consistent. There are exceptions to the rule, and he cites Red Crag 'buckies'' whcih are all the wrong way. [John] Gwyn Jeffreys found a colony, also reversed, from which he made the soingluar concusion that they were a survival from the days of the Red Crag. He notes the high prices commanded in the Paris market for reversed specimens of edible snails. Thompson does not believe it is possible to carry this back to a crystallographic solution on Van't Hoff lines. He considers spiral shapes and refers Larmorto Dr. {Francis Mauritius} Jaeger's book on symmetry, favourably reviewed in 'Nature'. Thompson has ordered the book, dipped into it, and so far it has disappointed. The Directorship of the Natural History Museum is again vacant and Thompson will compete again, as he set his heart on this years ago. His opinion is that the Museum is in a bad way, criticising Ray Lankester and Lazarus Fletcher. A 'most awful' job is contemplated, a Secretary to the Directorship who would have no scientific attainments. Thompson thinks it would be disasterous for the Museum's reputation but he will not say anything about it at this stage. Thompson notes that Charlie Lingard-Guthrie is about to come to St. John's. |
| Extent | 10p. |
| Format | Manuscript |
| PhysicalDescription | Ink on paper |
| AccessStatus | Open |
Fellows associated with this archive
| Code | PersonName | Dates |
| NA6267 | Thompson; Sir; D'Arcy Wentworth (1860 - 1948); naturalist; mathematician | 1860 - 1948 |