ABSTRACT
In October 1877, at the age of twenty, Heinrich Hertz went to Munich to continue his engineering studies. He had chosen this as his profession, and had already made some progress in it; for in addition to completing the usual year of practical work, he had thoroughly grounded himself in the basic mathematics and science needed for his further studies. Soon afterwards, in October 1880, Hertz became assistant to Helmholtz. He revelled in the enjoyment of the resources of the Berlin Institute. At this time he sowed the seeds which during his three years’ term as assistant developed one after the other into the investigations which appear in Miscellaneous Papers. Hertz treasured as precious mementoes two letters from Helmholtz. One of these was his letter of appointment as assistant to Helmholtz in Berlin; the other is the following: Berlin, 29 July 1883 Geehrter Herr Doktor!
