LORENTZ, H.A.- Electron Theory.- — La théorie électromagnétique de Maxwell et son application aux corps mouvants. [Offprint: from 'Archives néerlandaises des Sciences exactes et naturelles, T. XXV].

Leiden, E.J.Brill, 1892. 8vo. In the original printed wrappers. (Some age darkening.). (The upper wrapper w. the 'Leide, Brill. 1892' imprint pasted to upper cover). (Upper wrapper a few chips to righthand margin but virtually intact; spine material largely missing; lower wrapper pieces of the paper chipped and missing all around the outer edges). (190, I (errata), I (blank) pp.). (Printed covers as always somewhat brittle and browned; ..). First edition, with the imprint pasted on the upper cover and a new separate pagination, as opposed to the periodical issue. Usual wear and brittleness to pr. wrappers, but very good overall condition. Kox [Compiler], Bibliography of the writings of Lorentz, item 1892 f: DSB VIII, pp. 487 - 500: Hendrik Antoon Lorentz (1853 - 1928), Physics Nobel Prize winner for the year 1902 (together with Pieter Zeeman) for the exposition of his electron theory. 'Although he did some optical and electromagnetic experiments at Arnhem, he was strongly drawn to the theoretical aspects of physics; at this time, however, theoretical physics was only starting to be organized as as an independent discipline within physics; ... the Leiden theoretical physics chair was the first of its kind in Europe. Lorentz holds a major place in the history of physics for his part in shaping the new role of the discipline as well as for his scientific contributions... At Leiden, Lorentz developed his most original contribution to theoretical physics, his celebrated electron theory. ... Lorentz characterized his theory as a fusion of Continental and Maxwellian electrodynamics...Lorentz in 1892 derived the Fresnel drag coefficient, a measure of the motion that a moving transparant body communicates to light passing through it ... L. demonstrated that the drag coefficient resulted from the interference of light and thus did not imply a true, partial dragging of the ether. This demonstration was the single most impressive achievement of his first memoir on the electron theory, inspiring Max Born to refer to it, rightly, as one of the "most beautiful examples of the might of mathematical analysis in the physical world. Lorentz' next major exposition of his electron theory was "Versuch einer Theorie... (1895)". He no longer derived the basic equations of his theory from mechanical principles, but simply postulated them. ...': PMM, item 378a: 'Michelson's instrument [a new interferometer] was planned to measure the relative speed of lightwaves moving at right angles to each other. In August 1887 [in the American Journal of Science] in collaboration with Edward William Morley, he reported the almost completely negative results of their experiments. The dilemma appeared inescapable until Lorentz found the solution, which he announced in two papers: (a) 'The electromagnetic theory of Maxwell and its Application to Moving Bodies' [Here offered] & (b) 'An attempted theory of electrical and optical Appearances in Moving Bodies'. In these papers Lorentz assumed the electrical nature of matter and stated that all electrical particles became shortened when in motion along the direction in which the ether drifts. ... In 1905 Einstein propounded a special, limited theory of relativity with the express purpose of clarifying the abberation problem, to which end he adopted Lorentz's theory. The further importance of the earlier paper [here offered] is that coincidentally with J.J.Thomson ... Lorentz had hit upon the electron theory of matter': Whetham, A Hist. of Science (3rd ed. 1942), p. 389: 'While Thomson explained electricity in terms f matter, Lorentz expressed matter in terms of electricity.': Comp. Norman Coll. I, 1388 (Pres. copy of the 'Versuch' only): 'In applying Maxwell's electromagnetic theories ... to moving bodies, Lorentz made the fundamentally new assumption that the behaviour of light and matter could be understood in terms of charged particles. The present work is the second of Lorentz's two major expositions on his electron theory of matter [the first being] 'La Théorie électromagnétique de Maxwell et son application aux corps mouvements'.: Lecat 1758: 'When Lorentz died in 1928, at age 74, he was honored as the greatest cultural figure the Netherlands had produced in recent times. On the day of his funeral the Dutch telegraph and telephone services were suspended for three minutes in tribute. ... Einstein, a leader of the second generation of professional theoretical physicists ..., spoke at the graveside, referring to Lorentz as the "greatest and noblest man of our times." [DSB VIII, p. 490].: Both the 'Versuch' and 'la théorie électromagnétique de Maxwell' have in recent years become rare and sough after publications.