Rutherford's Character and Methods

Sir William Bragg, head of the Royal Institution, has described Lord Rutherford's working methods and influence in very pleasant terms. Rutherford, he wrote, keenly loved research for its own sake. He had a fine judgment of the essential, and he had the courage to break with precedent and try out his own ideas. “Rutherford has upset many theories but he has never belittled anyone's work. He has added new pages to the book of Physical Science and has always taught his students to venerate the old, even when the writing has become a little old-fashioned…. He always takes a broad and generous view, giving credit to others for their contributions to knowledge, and never pressing for the recognition of his (Continued on page 55.)

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