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The Sunday Times, 25 May, 1950: 'They called him "Dafty" - yet we owe radio to his theories'.
The Scotsman, 31 July 1961: 'Physicist to be commemorated: [Edinburgh] Academy laboratory opening today.

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Letters to Edward Everard senior are mostly endorsed by him with dates of sending and of receipt.

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The book was 'An Essay on Comets which gained the first of Dr Fellowes's prizes presented to those who had attended the University of Edinburgh within the last twleve years' by David Milne, A.M., F.R.S.E. (Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown and Green, 1828).

Scope and Contents Whymper sends a copy of his guide to Zermatt, his last production. 'Your name comes in in connection with the death of Mr Chester who was the only man I ever proposed for the Alpine Club.'The reference is to the death of Henry Chester in 1869 while descending the Lyskamm. According to Whymper's Guide Porter was among those making enquiries the next morning.Miss Tait comments at LC/M39.iii: 'I don't know how much Alpine climbing J.P. did, but he was reported once to have ascended the...

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Delights of Saturday nights (chapel at 8 a.m. rather than 7 a.m. on Sundays and no lectures); nature of Sunday morning breakfast parties (no hot food from the kitchen). Spencer Horatio Walpole elected as M.P. for the university on the withdrawl of the Hon. George Denman. He had intended a longer letter but on 14 February decides to send it as it is.
Margaret Archer Porter married Peter Guthrie Tait on 13 October 1857.

Scope and Contents Pancakes and fritters at King's; prayers, salt fish and a pint of sherry between five afterwards at Peterhouse. Contrition at not writing sooner. William John Steele in a very bad state. 'Those immeasurable quantities of spirits that used to flow down his throat and yours have injured his liver as well as his reputation whatever it may have done to yours.' (Cf. M.TAIT 5). Everyone has failed to persuade him to go to London and get some first rate advice.He hears nothing from Belfast now...

Scope and Contents Thanks for sending a problem paper; W.A.P. will send proofs. 'You have exceeded the legitimate number of problems, but if you prefer having that number I suppose there is no valid objection to it. Some of your problems appear difficult.'He himself is busy with pupils and with composing six papers and half a problem paper. But looks forward to seeing P.G.T. at dinner on Saturday.'I am sorry to observe that you do not speak yet with justice of [Edward John] Routh. He has become a very...

Scope and Contents Porter writes as having declined a breakfast party with his brother James in expectation of students who have not arrived. Blames his failure to write sooner on the Cambridge weather. Tait's mural circle ought to be rubbed with oil applied by the finger. Tait is right in thinking that W.A.P. will need his assistance with a problem paper, the more so as it is rumoured that Edward John Routh will shortly be leaving. He is interrupted by a visit from William Hopkins offering the post of...

Scope and Contents W.A.P. has had the proofs of Tait's papers and returned them to the press. Urges haste in returning to him the proof of P.G.T.'s problem paper which he sent two or three days ago. 'It is very hard to work in this delightful weather, Even law almost loses its attractions.''The Antigone [presumably The Antigona of Tommaso Traetta (1727-79)] was performed last night for the second time at the U[niversity of] C[ambridge] M[usic] S[ociety]. In the second part, Coleridge [Arthur Duke...

Scope and Contents Reasons for not seeking to be F.R.S. (as opposed to F.R.S.E.). Arranged for James Matthews Duncan, who had once been passed over, to be admittted by telling them that he could not presume to seek admission to a Society for which Duncan was judged unfit. 'So with numerous offers of LL.D. I made up my mind to have no degree except from Cambridge. 'Gunson [William Mandell Gunson], unknown to me, but with his usual energy, proposed me there: - but he had Okes [Richard Okes, Provost of King's...

Scope and Contents From the Management Group:

The receipt of the items is detailed in LC/M as noted.

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Punning on F[ellow of the] R[oyal] S[ociety of] E[dinburgh] and Pharisee.
The first 14 lines by Maxwell, the last 8 by Tait.
Reference is to the 1871 Edinburgh water controversy.

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The text is annotated and amplified by Peter Guthrie Tait.