A history of the theories of aether and electricity : from the age of Descartes to the close of the nineteenth century

DUBLIN UNIVERSITY PRESS SERIES.A HISTORYOF THEANDTHEORIES OF AETHER ELECTRICITYOF DESCAKTES TO THEFKOM THE AGE CLOSE OFTHE NINETEENTH CENTURY.BYE. T. WH1TTAKER,Hon. Sc.D. at Astronomer Ireland.I.E.S.;(DubL}; Roy ofAND CO.,LONGMANS, GREEN,39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON,AND CALCUTTA.NEW YORK, BOMBAY,& DUBLIN.FIGGIS, CO., LTD.,HODGES,1910.MM*DUBLIN :PRINTED AT UHE UNIVERSITY PRESS,BY PONSONBY AND OIBRS.to Mr. W. W.THE author desires to record his gratitudeEOUSE Fellow of and toBALL, Trinity College, Cambridge,of of ScienceProfessor W. McF. theORR, F.R.S., Royal Collegeand havefor Ireland these friends have read the; proof-sheets,and criticisms.made many helpful suggestionsThanks are also'due to the BOARD OF TRINITY COLLEGE,which made thefor the financial assistanceDUBLIN, possibleof the work.publication236360CONTENTS.CHAPTEK I.y THE AETHER IN THETHE THEORY OF SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.Page. . .Matter and . . . .1aether,The of ..... 2Descartes,physical writingsof Petrus: 7Early history magnetism Peregrinus, Gilbert, Descartes,Fermat attacks Descartes' of : the of leasttheory light principle........ 10time,Hooke's : the advance of wave . . 11-fronts,undulat>ry theoryNewton overthrows Hooke's of . . .15colours,theoryof the aether in the of . . 17Newton,Conception writingsNewton's theories of the of and ofperiodicity homogeneous light,fits of . . ,20transmission,easy:The of . . . .21Galileo, Roemer,velocity lightTraite de la lumiere : ...