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Henry Dircks Wikipedia Project

Under Perpetual Motion Section:

In 1870, Dircks wrote a second book under the title "Perpetuum Mobile; or; a History of the Search for Self-Motive Power from the Thirteenth, to the Nineteenth Century." This was a follow up to his first book in which he collected and presented more information and history of perpetual motion devices.

Things needed if possible:


 * Any information about the early like of Henry Dircks. There is little to almost nothing about him before he started teaching and writing.
 * Information about his studies on perpetual motion.

Perpetual Motion
Dircks study of perpetuum mobile built upon the earlier exploration of the subject by Simon Stevin, who wrote:

“It is not true [falsum] that the globe moves by itself with an endless movement [aeternum]”.

Dircks had an interest in ongoing the search for a perpetual motion machine. '''Interestingly enough, Dircks interest in perpetual motion was not due to his enjoyment of the subject, but more due to his despise of it. In 1861, he commented on the subject in his book that "The subject of Perpetual Motion opposes paradox to paradox."' His book Perpetuum mobile; or, Search for self-motive power'', published in 1861, examined many attempts at creating such a device, and has since been cited by other science writers on the subject. Dircks summarised the ongoing efforts of inventors:"A more self-willed, self-satisfied, or self-deluded class of the community, making at the same time pretension to superior knowledge, it would be impossible to imagine. They hope against hope, scorning all opposition with ridiculous vehemence, although centuries have not advanced them one step in the way of progress."and:"There is something lamentable, degrading, and almost insane in pursuing the visionary schemes of past ages with dogged determination, in paths of learning which have been investigated by superior minds, and with which such adventurous persons are totally unacquainted. The history of Perpetual Motion is a history of the fool-hardiness of either half-learned, or totally ignorant persons."In 1870, Dircks had a second book published under the title "Perpetuum Mobile; or; a History of the Search for Self-Motive Power from the Thirteenth, to the Nineteenth Century." This was a follow up to his first book in which he collected and presented more information and history of perpetual motion devices

* (Items in Bold are added in)

Article Drafting
Dircks' interest in perpetual motion was not due to the fact that he enjoyed the subject but more because he disliked the idea of perpetual motion. In 1861, he commented on the subject in his book that "The subject of Perpetual Motion opposes paradox to paradox."

One of the works written by Dircks, "The life, Times, and Scientific Labours of the Second Marquis of Worcester" includes much about a perpetual motion device that was built that Dircks was researching. In this work, Dircks commentates on a on a "successful perpetual motion device" that was built Edward Somerset, the second Marquis of Worcester. A large reason for Dircks writing this work was to disprove Edward Somerset and his device.

Possible Sources (hyperlinks)


 * https://archive.org/details/perpetuummobile01dircgoog/page/n16/mode/2up


 * https://www.gutenberg.org/files/51903/51903-h/51903-h.htm


 * https://www.gutenberg.org/files/44771/44771-h/44771-h.htm

Hydroelectric Power in the United States Edits


 * Good page, but could be a lot more neatly put together. The jumble of charts and graphs at the bottom of the page are a little distracting.
 * Needs more info on the environmental impacts of hydroelectricity.
 * Almost no information about the people in the hydroelectricity industry in the US.