MAY 01, 1966
A recently discovered manuscript appears to record some serious thoughts of Robert Browning on the physics of his day and some that was to come. It promises to add nothing whatsoever to the history and philosophy of science.
IN 1844 SAMUEL F. B. MORSE sent the first telegram. I believe it went from Washington to Baltimore and the message was, “What hath God wrought?” This was one of the exciting ways of announcing a breakthrough in science and technology. The entire history of science is filled with similar pronouncements. You may recall that there was a Babylonian monarch of some biblical notoriety who once called his a‐go‐go dancers to a halt and exclaimed, while peering anxiously at the wall, “What hath God wrote?” This, of course, is not very good English but it is very good Babylonian and certainly appropriate for that particular occasion. The scientific message that is contained in this paper will undoubtedly be greeted with many kinds of pronouncements, denouncements and other types of nastiness. I believe almost all of us are well acquainted with the familiar pattern of criticism that follows any philomathic paper regardless of its intellectual and literary merit. For that reason, as well as certain other reasons, I will admit at this point that I did not write this paper, I found this paper. I am willing to admit that it took a good bit of ingenuity to find it. I feel, however, that it took a good deal more ingenuity to write it. Therefore I must regretfully refuse to accept credit for it.
© 1966. American Institute of Physics
