nikola tesla autobiography v 3

7/28/2019 Nikola Tesla Autobiography v 3

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THE STRANGE LIFEOF NIKOLA TESLA

Autobiography


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Editors Note, August 28, 1995


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The Strange Life Of Nikola Telsa (Autobiography)

This text has been entered by John R.H. Penner from a small

booklet found in a used bookstore for $2.50. The only form of date

identification is the name of the original urchaser! "rthua #aine %&!

dated "ril 2'! (')*.

The book aears to be considerably older! made +ith tye+riters!

and then hotocoied and staled. The only other significant features of

the booklet is that it contains four hotocoied hotograhs of Tesla! and

+as originally forty ages long. , must aologise for the -ualitty of the

scans! but the originals +ere of ery oor -uality! and this is the best that

could be obtained after touching/u in Photosho.

The book has no oyright identification! nor any means of

contacting the ublishers. "s far as , am a+are! this autobiograhy is no

longer aailable in rinted form any+here.

,n the interest of making this imortant text aailable to the +ider

ublic! , hae retyed the entire text +ord/for/+ord as it originally

aears into this electronic format. The only +ords +hich aear in this

file! that are not in the original book are this 1ditors ote! and the

,ntroduction. , hae exactly maintained age numbers as they aear in

the original 3 including the some+hat odd artifact of hater ( starting

on age t+o.

,f anyone kno+s ho+ to reach the original ublisher! lease

contact me at the belo+ address! so roer credit may be gien +here it

is due.

Editors Note, August 28, !!" #


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John Roland Hans Penner

44 6cott 6treet

6t. atharines! 7ntario

829 :;)! anada

Phone< '05.4.:55(

e9ail< J.Penner=>1nie.>1,6.com

This file may be freely redistributed as long as it?s content is not

modified in any +ay. ,t may not be sold or ublished for rofit unless

secifically authorised rior to ublication by the exress ermission of

@olmogoro/ 6mirno Publishing! or John R.H. Penner. Anless

other+ise notified! this +ork is oyright B(''5 by John R.H. Penner

Editors Note, August 28, !!" $


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Introduction


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ikola Tesla +as born in

roatia then art of "ustria/

Hungary& on July '! (*5! and died

January )! ('4:. He +as the

electrical engineer +ho inented the

" alternating current& induction

motor! +hich made the uniersal

transmission and distribution of

electricity ossible. Tesla began his

studies in hysics and mathematics

at >raC Polytechnic! and then took

hilosohy at the Aniersity of

Prague. He +orked as an electrical engineer in Dudaest! Hungary! and

subse-uently in Erance and >ermany. ,n (*** his discoery that a

magnetic field could be made to rotate if t+o coils at right angles aresulied +ith " current '0F out of hase made ossible the inention

of the " induction motor. The maGor adantage of this motor being its

brushless oeration! +hich many at the time belieed imossible. Tesla

moed to the Anited 6tates in (**4! +here he +orked for Thomas 1dison

+ho -uickly became a rial 3 1dison being an adocate of the inferior

# o+er transmission system. #uring this time! Tesla +as

commissioned +ith the design of the " generators installed at iagara

Ealls. >eorge ;estinghouse urchased the atents to his induction

motor! and made it the basis of the ;estinghouse o+er system +hich

still underlies the modern electrical o+er industry today.

He also did notable research on high/oltage electricity and

%ntrodu&tion '


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+ireless communication at one oint creating an earth-uake +hich

shook the ground for seeral miles around his e+ Iork laboratory. He

also deised a system +hich anticiated +orld/+ide +ireless

communications! fax machines! radar! radio/guided missiles and aircraft.

,@78" T168" ,6 TH1 TRA1 A6A> PR7PH1T 7E TH1

181TR, ">1 +ithout +hom our radio! auto ignition! hone!

alternating current o+er generation and transmission! radio and

teleision +ould all hae been imossible. Iet his life and times hae

anished largely from ublic access. This "AT7D,7>R"PHI is

released to remedy this situation! and to fill this KD8"@ H781L in

information sace.

B@olmogoro/ 6mirno Publishing. i 7ctober (:! (':: (

%ntrodu&tion


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!"#ter 1

y Early Life

*y Nikola Tesla


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The rogressie deeloment of man is itally deendent on

inention. ,t is the most imortant roduct of his creatie brain. ,ts

ultimate urose is the comlete mastery of mind oer the material

+orld! the harnessing of the forces of nature to human needs. This is the

difficult task of the inentor +ho is often misunderstood and

unre+arded. Dut he finds amle comensation in the leasing exercises

of his o+ers and in the kno+ledge of being one of that excetionally

riileged class +ithout +hom the race +ould hae long ago erished in

the bitter struggle against itiless elements. 6eaking for myself! , hae

already had more than my full measure of this ex-uisite enGoyment so

much! that for many years my life +as little short of continuous rature. ,

am credited +ith being one of the hardest +orkers and erhas , am! if

thought is the e-uialent of labour! for , hae deoted to it almost all of

my +aking hours. Dut if +ork is interreted to be a definite erformance

in a secified time according to a rigid rule! then , may be the +orst ofidlers.

1ery effort under comulsion demands a sacrifice of life/energy. ,

neer aid such a rice. 7n the contrary! , hae thried on my thoughts.

,n attemting to gie a connected and faithful account of my actiities in

this story of my life! , must d+ell! ho+eer reluctantly! on the

imressions of my youth and the circumstances and eents +hich hae

been instrumental in determining my career. 7ur first endeaours are

urely instinctie romtings of an imagination iid and undiscilined.

"s +e gro+ older reason asserts itself and +e become more and more

systematic and designing. Dut those early imulses! though not

immediately roductie! are of the greatest moment and may shae our

+hapter y Early Life !


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ery destinies. ,ndeed! , feel no+ that had , understood and cultiated

instead of suressing them! , +ould hae added substantial alue to my

be-uest to the +orld. Dut not until , had attained manhood did , realise

that , +as an inentor.

This +as due to a number of causes. ,n the first lace , had a

brother +ho +as gifted to an extraordinary degree one of those rare

henomena of mentality +hich biological inestigation has failed to

exlain. His remature death left my earth arents disconsolate. , +ill

exlain my remark about my Kearth arentsL later.& ;e o+ned a horse

+hich had been resented to us by a dear friend. ,t +as a magnificent

animal of "rabian breed! ossessed of almost human intelligence! and

+as cared for and etted by the +hole family! haing on one occasion

saed my dear father?s life under remarkable circumstances. 9y father

had been called one +inter night to erform an urgent duty and +hile

crossing the mountains! infested by +oles! the horse became frightened

and ran a+ay! thro+ing him iolently to the ground. ,t arried home

bleeding and exhausted! but after the alarm +as sounded! immediately

dashed off again! returning to the sot! and before the searching arty

+ere far on the +ay they +ere met by my father! +ho had recoered

consciousness and remounted! not realising that he had been lying in the

sno+ for seeral hours. This horse +as resonsible for my brother?s

inGuries from +hich he died. , +itnessed the tragic scene and although so

many years hae elased since! my isual imression of it has lost none

of its force.

The recollection of his attainments made eery effort of mine seem

dull in comarison. "nything , did that +as creditable merely caused my

+hapter y Early Life -


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arents to feel their loss more keenly. 6o , gre+ u +ith little confidence

in myself. Dut , +as far from being considered a stuid boy! if , am to

Gudge from an incident of +hich , hae still a strong remembrance. 7ne

day the "ldermen +ere assing through a street +here , +as laying +ith

other boys. The oldest of these enerable gentlemen! a +ealthy citiCen!

aused to gie a siler iece to each of us. oming to me! he suddenly

stoed and commanded! K8ook in my eyes.L , met his gaCe! my hand

outstretched to receie the much alued coin! +hen to my dismay! he

said! Ko! not much you can get nothing from me. Iou are too smart.L

They used to tell a funny story about me. , had t+o old aunts +ith

+rinkled faces! one of them haing t+o teeth rotruding like the tusks of

an elehant! +hich she buried in my cheek eery time she kissed me.

othing +ould scare me more then the rosects of being by these

affectionate! unattractie relaties. ,t haened that +hile being carried

in my mother?s arms! they asked +ho +as the rettier of the t+o. "fterexamining their faces intently! , ans+ered thoughtfully! ointing to one

of them! KThis here is not as ugly as the other.L Then again! , +as

intended from my ery birth! for the clerical rofession and this thought

constantly oressed me. , longed to be an engineer! but my father +as

inflexible. He +as the son of an officer +ho sered in the army of the

>reat aoleon and in common +ith his brother! rofessor of

mathematics in a rominent institution! had receied a military

education but! singularly enough! later embraced the clergy in +hich

ocation he achieed eminence. He +as a ery erudite man! a eritable

natural hilosoher! oet and +riter and his sermons +ere said to be as

elo-uent as those of "braham a/6ancta/lara. He had a rodigious

memory and fre-uently recited at length from +orks in seeral

+hapter y Early Life


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languages. He often remarked layfully that if some of the classics +ere

lost he could restore them. His style of +riting +as much admired. He

enned sentences short and terse and full of +it and satire. The humorous

remarks he made +ere al+ays eculiar and characteristic. Just to

illustrate! , may mention one or t+o instances. "mong the hel! there

+as a cross/eyed man called 9ane! emloyed to do +ork around the

farm. He +as choing +ood one day. "s he s+ung the axe! my father!

+ho stood nearby and felt ery uncomfortable! cautioned him! KEor

>od?s sake! 9ane! do not strike at +hat you are looking but at +hat you

intend to hit.L 7n another occasion he +as taking out for a drie! a friend

+ho carelessly ermitted his costly fur coat to rub on the carriage +heel.

9y father reminded him of it saying! KPull in your coat you are ruining

my tire.L He had the odd habit of talking to himself and +ould often

carry on an animated conersation and indulge in heated argument!

changing the tone of his oice. " casual listener might hae s+orn thatseeral eole +ere in the room. "lthough , must trace to my mother?s

influence +hateer inentieness , ossess! the training he gae me must

hae been helful. ,t comrised all sorts of exercises /as! guessing one

another?s thoughts! discoering the defects of some form of exression!

reeating long sentences or erforming mental calculations. These daily

lessons +ere intended to strengthen memory and reason! and esecially

to deelo the critical sense! and +ere undoubtedly ery beneficial.

9y mother descended from one of the oldest families in the

country and a line of inentors. Doth her father and grandfather

originated numerous imlements for household! agricultural and other

uses. 6he +as a truly great +oman! of rare skill! courage and fortitude!

+hapter y Early Life 2


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+ho had braed the storms of life and assed through many a trying

exerience. ;hen she +as sixteen! a irulent estilence s+et the

country. Her father +as called a+ay to administer the last sacraments to

the dying and during his absence she +ent alone to the assistance of a

neighbouring family +ho +ere stricken by the dread disease. 6he bathed!

clothed and laid out the bodies! decorating them +ith flo+ers according

to the custom of the country and +hen her father returned he found

eerything ready for a hristian burial.

9y mother +as an inentor of the first order and +ould! , beliee!

hae achieed great things had she not been so remote from modern life

and its multifold oortunities. 6he inented and constructed all kinds of

tools and deices and +oe the finest designs from thread +hich +as

sun by her. 6he een lanted seeds! raised the lants and searated the

fibres herself. 6he +orked indefatigably! from break of day till late at

night! and most of the +earing aarel and furnishings of the home +ere

the roduct of her hands. ;hen she +as ast sixty! her fingers +ere still

nimble enough to tie three knots in an eyelash.

There +as another and still more imortant reason for my late

a+akening. ,n my boyhood , suffered from a eculiar affliction due to the

aearance of images! often accomanied by strong flashes of light!

+hich marred the sight of real obGects and interfered +ith my thoughts

and action. They +ere ictures of things and scenes +hich i had really

seen! neer of those imagined. ;hen a +ord +as soken to me the image

of the obGect it designated +ould resent itself iidly to my ision and

sometimes , +as -uite unable to distinguish +eather +hat , sa+ +as

tangible or not.

+hapter y Early Life #


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This caused me great discomfort and anxiety. one of the students

of sychology or hysiology +hom i hae consulted! could eer exlain

satisfactorily these henomenon. They seem to hae been uni-ue

although , +as robably redisosed as , kno+ that my brother

exerienced a similar trouble. The theory , hae formulated is that the

images +ere the result of a reflex action from the brain on the retina

under great excitation. They certainly +ere not hallucinations such as are

roduced in diseased and anguished minds! for in other resects i +as

normal and comosed. To gie an idea of my distress! suose that , had

+itnessed a funeral or some such nere/+racking sectacle. The!

ineitably! in the stillness of night! a iid icture of the scene +ould

thrust itself before my eyes and ersist desite all my efforts to banish it.

,f my exlanation is correct! it should be ossible to roGect on a screen

the image of any obGect one conceies and make it isible. 6uch an

adance +ould reolutionise all human relations. , am coninced thatthis +onder can and +ill be accomlished in time to come. , may add that

, hae deoted much thought to the solution of the roblem.

, hae managed to reflect such a icture! +hich i hae seen in my

mind! to the mind of another erson! in another room. To free myself of

these tormenting aearances! , tried to concentrate my mind on

something else , had seen! and in this +ay , +ould often obtain

temorary relief but in order to get it , had to conGure continuously ne+

images. ,t +as not long before , found that , had exhausted all of those at

my command my Mreel? had run out as it +ere! because , had seen little

of the +orld N only obGects in my home and the immediate

surroundings. "s , erformed these mental oerations for the second or

+hapter y Early Life $


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third time! in order to chase the aearances from my ision! the remedy

gradually lost all its force. Then , instinctiely commenced to make

excursions beyond the limits of the small +orld of +hich , had

kno+ledge! and , sa+ ne+ scenes. These +ere at first ery blurred and

indistinct! and +ould flit a+ay +hen , tried to concentrate my attention

uon them. They gained in strength and distinctness and finally assumed

the concreteness of real things. , soon discoered that my best comfort

+as attained if , simly +ent on in my ision further and further! getting

ne+ imressions all the time! and so , began to trael of course! in my

mind. 1ery night! and sometimes during the day&! +hen alone! , +ould

start on my Gourneys N see ne+ laces! cities and countries lie there!

meet eole and make friendshis and ac-uaintances and! ho+eer

unbelieable! it is a fact that they +ere Gust as dear to me as those in

actual life! and not a bit less intense in their manifestations.

This , did constantly until , +as about seenteen! +hen my

thoughts turned seriously to inention. Then , obsered to my delight

that i could isualise +ith the greatest facility. , needed no models!

dra+ings or exeriments. , could icture them all as real in my mind.

Thus , hae been led unconsciously to eole +hat , consider a ne+

method of materialising inentie concets and ideas! +hich is radially

oosite to the urely exerimental and is in my oinion eer so much

more exeditious and efficient.

The moment one constructs a deice to carry into ractice a crude

idea! he finds himself unaoidably engrossed +ith the details of the

aaratus. "s he goes on imroing and reconstructing! his force of

concentration diminishes and he loses sight of the great underlying

+hapter y Early Life "


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rincile. Results may be obtained! but al+ays at the sacrifice of -uality.

9y method is different. , do not rush into actual +ork.

;hen , get an idea! , start at once building it u in my imagination.

, change the construction! make imroements and oerate the deice in

my mind. ,t is absolutely immaterial to me +hether , run my turbine in

thought or test it in my sho. , een note if it is out of balance. There is

no difference +hateer the results are the same. ,n this +ay , am able to

raidly deelo and erfect a concetion +ithout touching anything.

;hen , hae gone so far as to embody in the inention eery ossible

imroement , can think of and see no fault any+here! , ut into concrete

form this final roduct of my brain. ,nariably my deice +orks as ,

conceied that it should! and the exeriment comes out exactly as ,

lanned it. ,n t+enty years there has not been a single excetion. ;hy

should it be other+ise%

1ngineering! electrical and mechanical! is ositie in results. There

is scarcely a subGect that cannot be examined beforehand! from the

aailable theoretical and ractical data. The carrying out into ractice of

a crude idea as is being generally done! is! , hold! nothing but a +aste of

energy! money! and time.

9y early affliction had ho+eer! another comensation. The

incessant mental exertion deeloed my o+ers of obseration and

enabled me to discoer a truth of great imortance. , had noted that the

aearance of images +as al+ays receded by actual ision of scenes

under eculiar and generally ery excetional conditions! and , +as

imelled on each occasion to locate the original imulse. "fter a +hile

+hapter y Early Life '


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this effort gre+ to be almost automatic and , gained great facility in

connecting cause and effect. 6oon , became a+are! to my surrise! that

eery thought , conceied +as suggested by an external imression. ot

only this but all my actions +ere romted in a similar +ay. ,n the course

of time it became erfectly eident to me that , +as merely an automation

endo+ed +ith o+er 7E 97O191T R16P7#,> T7 TH1

6T,9A8, 7E TH1 6161 7R>"6 "# TH,@,> "# "T,>

"7R#,>8I. The ractical result of this +as the art of

teleautomatics +hich has been so far carried out only in an imerfect

manner.

,ts latent ossibilities +ill! ho+eer be eentually sho+n. , hae

been years lanning self/controlled automata and beliee that

mechanisms can be roduced +hich +ill act as if ossessed of reason! to

a limited degree! and +ill create a reolution in many commercial and

industrial deartments. , +as about t+ele years of age +hen , first

succeeded in banishing an image from my ision by +ilful effort! but ,

neer had any control oer the flashes of light to +hich , hae referred.

They +ere! erhas! my strangest and mostQ inexlicable exerience.

They usually occurred +hen , found myself in a dangerous or distressing

situations or +hen i +as greatly exhilarated. ,n some instances i hae

seen all the air around me filled +ith tongues of liing flame. Their

intensity! instead of diminishing! increased +ith time and seemingly

attained a maximum +hen , +as about t+enty/fie years old.

;hile in Paris in (**:! a rominent Erench manufacturer sent me

an initation to a shooting exedition +hich , acceted. , had been long

confined to the factory and the fresh air had a +onderfully inigorating

+hapter y Early Life


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effect on me. 7n my return to the city that night! , felt a ositie

sensation that my brain had caught fire. , +as a light as though a small

sun +as located in it and , assed the +hole night alying cold

comressions to my tortured head. Einally the flashes diminished in

fre-uency and force but it took more than three +eeks before they +holly

subsided. ;hen a second initation +as extended to me! my ans+er +as

an emhatic 7

These luminous henomena still manifest themseles from time to

time! as +hen a ne+ idea oening u ossibilities strikes me! but they are

no longer exciting! being of relatiely small intensity. ;hen , close my

eyes , inariably obsere first! a background of ery dark and uniform

blue! not unlike the sky on a clear but starless night. ,n a fe+ seconds this

field becomes animated +ith innumerable scintillating flakes of green!

arranged in seeral layers and adancing to+ards me. Then there

aears! to the right! a beautiful attern of t+o systems of arallel and

closely saced lines! at right angles to one another! in all sorts of colours

+ith yello+! green! and gold redominating. ,mmediately thereafter! the

lines gro+ brighter and the +hole is thickly srinkled +ith dots of

t+inkling light. This icture moes slo+ly across the field of ision and

in about ten seconds anishes on the left! leaing behind a ground of

rather unleasant and inert grey until the second hase is reached. 1ery

time! before falling aslee! images of ersons or obGects flit before my

ie+. ;hen , see them , kno+ , am about to lose consciousness. ,f they

are absent and refuse to come! it means a sleeless night. To +hat an

extent imagination layed in my early life! , may illustrate by another

odd exerience. 8ike most children! , +as fond of Guming and



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deeloed an intense desire to suort myself in the air. 7ccasionally a

strong +ind richly charged +ith oxygen ble+ from the mountains!

rendering my body light as cork and then , +ould lea and float in sace

for a long time. ,t +as a delightful sensation and my disaointment +as

keen +hen later , undeceied myself. #uring that eriod , contracted

many strange likes! dislikes and habits! some of +hich , can trace to

external imressions +hile others are unaccountable. , had a iolent

aersion against the earing of +omen! but other ornaments! as bracelets!

leased me more or less according to design. The sight of a earl +ould

almost gie me a fit! but , +as fascinated +ith the glitter of crystals or

obGects +ith shar edges and lane surfaces.

, +ould not touch the hair of other eole excet! erhas at the

oint of a reoler.

, +ould get a feer by looking at a each and if a iece of camhor+as any+here in the house it caused me the keenest discomfort. 1en

no+ , am not insensible to some of these usetting imulses. ;hen ,

dro little s-uares of aer in a dish filled +ith li-uid! , al+ays sense a

eculiar and a+ful taste in my mouth. , counted the stes in my +alks

and calculated the cubical contents of sou lates! coffee cus and ieces

of food! other+ise my meal +as unenGoyable. "ll reeated acts or

oerations , erformed had to be diisible by three and if , missed , felt

imelled to do it all oer again! een if it took hours. A to the age of

eight years! my character +as +eak and acillating. , had neither courage

or strength to form a firm resole. 9y feelings came in +aes and surges

and ariated unceasingly bet+een extremes. 9y +ishes +ere of

consuming force and like the heads of the hydra! they multilied. , +as

+hapter y Early Life !


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oressed by thoughts of ain in life and death and religious fear.

, +as s+ayed by suerstitious belief and lied in constant dread ofthe sirit of eil! of ghosts and ogres and other unholy monsters of the

dark. Then all at once! there came a tremendous change +hich altered the

course of my +hole existence.

7f all things , liked books best. 9y father had a large library and

+heneer , could manage , tried to satisfy my assion for reading. He did

not ermit it and +ould fly in a rage +hen he caught me in the act. He

hid the candles +hen he found that , +as reading in secret. He did not

+ant me to soil my eyes. Dut , obtained tallo+! made the +icking and

cast the sticks into tin forms! and eery night , +ould bush the keyhole

and the cracks and read! often till da+n! +hen all others slet and my

mother started on her arduous daily task.

7n one occasion , came across a noel entitled M"oafi!? the son of

"ba&! a 6erbian translation of a +ell kno+n Hungarian +riter! Josika.

This +ork someho+ a+akened my dormant o+ers of +ill and , began to

ractice self/control. "t first my resolutions faded like sno+ in "ril! but

in a little +hile , con-uered my +eakness and felt a leasure , neer

kne+ before N that of doing as , +illed. ,n the course of time this

igorous mental exercise became second to nature. "t the outset my

+ishes had to be subdued but gradually desire and +ill gre+ to be

identical. "fter years of such disciline , gained so comlete a mastery

oer myself that , toyed +ith assions +hich hae meant destruction to

some of the strongest men. "t a certain age , contracted a mania for

gambling +hich greatly +orried my arents. To sit do+n to a game of

+hapter y Early Life 2-


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cards +as for me the -uintessence of leasure.

9y father led an exemlary life and could not excuse the senseless+aste of my time and money in +hich , indulged. , had a strong resole!

but my hilosohy +as bad. , +ould say to him! M, can sto +heneer ,

lease! but it it +orth +hile to gie u that +hich , +ould urchase +ith

the Goys of aradise%? 7n fre-uent occasions he gae ent to his anger

and contemt! but my mother +as different. 6he understood the character

of men and kne+ that one?s salation could only be brought about

through his o+n efforts. 7ne afternoon! , remember! +hen , had lost all

my money and +as craing for a game! she came to me +ith a roll of

bills and said! M>o and enGoy yourself. The sooner you lose all +e

ossess! the better it +ill be. , kno+ that you +ill get oer it.? 6he +as

right. , con-uered my assion then and there and only regretted that it

had not been a hundred times as strong. , not only an-uished but tore it

from my heart so as not to leae een a trace of desire.

1er since that time , hae been as indifferent to any form of

gambling as to icking teeth. #uring another eriod , smoked

excessiely! threatening to ruin my health.

Then my +ill asserted itself and , not only stoed but destroyed

all inclination. 8ong ago , suffered from heart trouble until , discoered

that it +as due to the innocent cu of coffee , consumed eery morning. ,

discontinued at once! though , confess it +as not an easy task. ,n this

+ay , checked and bridled other habits and assions! and hae not only

resered my life but deried an immense amount of satisfaction from

+hat most men +ould consider riation and sacrifice. "fter finishing



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the studies at the Polytechnic ,nstitute and Aniersity! , had a comlete

nerous breakdo+n and +hile the malady lasted , obsered many

henomena! strange and unbelieable...



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!"#ter 2

*y Nikola Tesla


24/99


, shall d+ell briefly on these extraordinary exeriences! on account

of their ossible interest to students of sychology and hysiology and

also because this eriod of agony +as of the greatest conse-uence on my

mental deeloment and subse-uent labours. Dut it is indisensable to

first relate the circumstances and conditions +hich receded them and in

+hich might be found their artial exlanation.

Erom childhood , +as comelled to concentrate attention uon

myself. This caused me much suffering! but to my resent ie+! it +as a

blessing in disguise for it has taught me to areciate the inestimable

alue of introsection in the reseration of life! as +ell as a means of

achieement. The ressure of occuation and the incessant stream of

imressions ouring into our consciousness through all the gate+ays of

kno+ledge make modern existence haCardous in many +ays. 9ost

ersons are so absorbed in the contemlation of the outside +orld that

they are +holly obliious to +hat is assing on +ithin themseles. The

remature death of millions is rimarily traceable to this cause. 1en

among those +ho exercise care! it is a common mistake to aoid

imaginary! and ignore the real dangers. "nd +hat is true of an indiidual

also alies! more or less! to a eole as a +hole.

"bstinence +as not al+ays to my liking! but , find amle re+ard in

the agreeable exeriences , am no+ making. Just in the hoe of

conerting some to my recets and conictions , +ill recall one or t+o.

" short time ago , +as returning to my hotel. ,t +as a bitter cold

night! the ground sliery! and no taxi to be had. Half a block behind me

follo+ed another man! eidently as anxious as myself to get under coer.

+hapter 2 2$


25/99


6uddenly my legs +ent u in the air. "t the same instant there +as a

flash in my brain. The neres resonded! the muscles contracted. , s+ung

(*0 degrees and landed on my hands. , resumed my +alk as though

nothing had haened +hen the stranger caught u +ith me. KHo+ old

are you%L he asked! sureying me critically. K7h! about fifty/nine!L ,

relied! K;hat of it%L K;ell!L said he! K, hae seen a cat do this but

neer a man.L "bout a month ago , +anted to order ne+ eye glasses and

+ent to an oculist +ho ut me through the usual tests. He looked at me

incredulously as , read off +ith ease the smallest rint at considerable

distance. Dut +hen , told him , +as ast sixty he gased in astonishment.

Eriends of mine often remark that my suits fit me like gloes but they do

not kno+ that all my clothing is made to measurements +hich +ere taken

nearly fifteen years ago and neer changed. #uring this same eriod my

+eight has not aried one ound. ,n this connection , may tell a funny

story.

7ne eening! in the +inter of (**5! 9r. 1dison! 1d+ard H.

Johnson! the President of the 1dison ,lluminating omany! 9r.

Datchellor! 9anager of the +orks! and myself! entered a little lace

oosite 5 Eirth "enue! +here the offices of the comany +ere

located. 6omeone suggested guessing +eights and , +as induced to ste

on a scale. 1dison felt me all oer and said< KTesla +eighs (52 lbs. to an

ounce!L and he guessed it exactly. 6tried , +eighed (42 ounds! and

that is still my +eight. , +hisered to 9r. Johnson KHo+ is it ossible

that 1dison could guess my +eight so closely%L K;ell!L he said!

lo+ering his oice. K, +ill tell you confidentially! but you must not say

anything. He +as emloyed for a long time in a hicago slaughter/house

+hapter 2 2"


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+here he +eighed thousands of hogs eery day. That?s +hy.L 9y friend!

the Hon. hauncey 9. #ue+! tells of an 1nglishman on +hom he

srung one of his original anecdotes and +ho listened +ith a uCCled

exression! but a year later! laughed out loud. , +ill frankly confess it

took me longer than that to areciate Johnson?s Goke. o+! my +ell/

being is simly the result of a careful and measured mode of liing and

erhas the most astonishing thing is that three times in my youth , +as

rendered by illness a hoeless hysical +reck and gien u by

hysicians. 97R1 than this! through ignorance and lightheartedness! ,

got into all sorts of difficulties! dangers and scraes from +hich ,

extricated myself as by enchantment. , +as almost dro+ned! entombed!

lost and froCen. , had hair/breadth escaes from mad dogs! hogs! and

other +ild animals. , assed through dreadful diseases and met +ith all

kinds of odd mishas and that , am +hole and hearty today seems like a

miracle. Dut as , recall these incidents to my mind , feel coninced thatmy reseration +as not altogether accidental! but +as indeed the +ork

of diine o+er. "n inentor?s endeaour is essentially life saing.

;hether he harnesses forces! imroes deices! or roides ne+

comforts and coneniences! he is adding to the safety of our existence.

He is also better -ualified than the aerage indiidual to rotect himself

in eril! for he is obserant and resourceful. ,f , had no other eidence

that , +as! in a measure! ossessed of such -ualities! , +ould find it in

these ersonal exeriences. The reader +ill be able to Gudge for himself if

, mention one or t+o instances.

7n one occasion! +hen about fourteen years old! , +anted to scare

some friends +ho +ere bathing +ith me. 9y lan +as to die under a

+hapter 2 2'


27/99


long floating structure and sli out -uietly at the other end. 6+imming

and diing came to me as naturally as to a duck and , +as confident that ,

could erform the feat. "ccordingly , lunged into the +ater and! +hen

out of ie+! turned around and roceeded raidly to+ards the oosite

side. Thinking that , +as safely beyond the structure! , rose to the surface

but to my dismay struck a beam. 7f course! , -uickly died and forged

ahead +ith raid strokes until my breath +as beginning to gie out.

Rising for the second time! my head came again in contact +ith a beam.

o+ , +as becoming deserate.

Ho+eer! summoning all my energy! , made a third frantic attemt

but the result +as the same. The torture of suressed breathing +as

getting unendurable! my brain +as reeling and , felt myself sinking. "t

that moment! +hen my situation seemed absolutely hoeless! ,

exerienced one of those flashes of light and the structure aboe me

aeared before my ision. , either discerned or guessed that there +as a

little sace bet+een the surface of the +ater and the boards resting on the

beams and! +ith consciousness nearly gone! , floated u! ressed my

mouth close to the lanks and managed to inhale a little air! unfortunately

mingled +ith a sray of +ater +hich nearly choked me. 6eeral times ,

reeated this rocedure as in a dream until my heart! +hich +as racing at

a terrible rate! -uieted do+n! and , gained comosure. "fter that , made a

number of unsuccessful dies! haing comletely lost the sense of

direction! but finally succeeded in getting out of the tra +hen my friends

had already gien me u and +ere fishing for my body. That bathing

season +as soiled for me through recklessness but , soon forgot the

lesson and only t+o years later , fell into a +orse redicament.

+hapter 2 2


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There +as a large flour mill +ith a dam across the rier near the

city +here , +as studying at the time. "s a rule the height of the +ater

+as only t+o or three inches aboe the dam and to s+im to it +as a sort

not ery dangerous in +hich , often indulged. 7ne day , +ent alone to

the rier to enGoy myself as usual. ;hen , +as a short distance from the

masonry! ho+eer! , +as horrified to obsere that the +ater had risen and

+as carrying me along s+iftly.

, tried to get a+ay but it +as too late. 8uckily! though! , saed

myself from being s+et oer by taking hold of the +all +ith both hands.

The ressure against my chest +as great and , +as barely able to kee my

head aboe the surface. ot a soul +as in sight and my oice +as lost in

the roar of the fall. 6lo+ly and gradually , became exhausted and unable

to +ithstand the strain longer. Just as , +as about to let go! to be dashed

against the rocks belo+! , sa+ in a flash of light a familiar diagram

illustrating the hydraulic rincile that the ressure of a fluid in motion is

roortionate to the area exosed and automatically , turned on my left

side. "s if by magic! the ressure +as reduced and , found it

comaratiely easy in that osition to resist the force of the stream. Dut

the danger still confronted me.

, kne+ that sooner or later , +ould be carried do+n! as it +as not

ossible for any hel to reach me in time! een if , had attracted

attention. , am ambidextrous no+! but then , +as left/handed and had

comaratiely little strength in my right arm. Eor this reason , did not

dare to turn on the other side to rest and nothing remained but to slo+ly

ush my body along the dam. , had to get a+ay from the mill to+ards

+hich my face +as turned! as the current there +as much s+ifter and

+hapter 2 28


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deeer. ,t +as a long and ainful ordeal and , came near to failing at its

ery end! for , +as confronted +ith a deression in the masonry. ,

managed to get oer +ith the last ounce of my strength and fell in a

s+oon +hen , reached the bank! +here , +as found. , had torn irtually

all the skin from my left side and it took seeral +eeks before the feer

had subsided and , +as +ell. These are only t+o of many instanced! but

they may be sufficient to sho+ that had it not been for the inentor?s

instinct! , +ould not hae lied to tell the tale.

,nterested eole hae often asked me ho+ and +hen , began to

inent. This , can only ans+er from my resent recollection in the light

of +hich! the first attemt , recall +as rather ambitious for it inoled the

inention of an aaratus and a method. ,n the former , +as anticiated!

but the later +as original. ,t haened in this +ay. 7ne of my laymates

had come into the ossession of a hook and fishing tackle +hich created

-uite an excitement in the illage! and the next morning all started out to

catch frogs. , +as left alone and deserted o+ing to a -uarrel +ith this

boy. , had neer seen a real hook and ictured it as something +onderful!

endo+ed +ith eculiar -ualities! and +as desairing not to be one of the

arty. Arged by necessity! , someho+ got hold of a iece of soft iron

+ire! hammered the end to a shar oint bet+een t+o stones! bent it into

shae! and fastened it to a strong string.

, then cut a rod! gathered some bait! and +ent do+n to the brook

+here there +ere frogs in abundance. Dut , could not catch any and +as

almost discouraged +hen it occurred to me dangle the emty hook in

front of a frog sitting on a stum. "t first he collased but by and by his

eyes bulged out and became bloodshot! he s+elled to t+ice his normal

+hapter 2 2!


30/99


siCe and made a icious sna at the hook. ,mmediately , ulled him u. ,

tried the same thing again and again and the method roed infallible.

;hen my comrades! +ho in site of their fine outfit had caught

nothing! came to me! they +ere green +ith eny. Eor a long time , ket

my secret and enGoyed the monooly but finally yielded to the sirit of

hristmas. 1ery boy could then do the same and the follo+ing summer

brought disaster to the frogs.

,n my next attemt! , seem to hae acted under the first instinctie

imulse +hich later dominated me! N to harness the energies of nature

to the serice of man. , did this through the medium of 9ay bugs! or

June bugs as they are called in "merica! +hich +ere a eritable est in

that country and sometimes broke the branches of trees by the sheer

+eight of their bodies. The bushes +ere black +ith them. , +ould attach

as many as four of them to a cross/iece! rotably arranged on a thinsindle! and transmit the motion of the same to a large disc and so derie

considerable Mo+er.? These creatures +ere remarkably efficient! for

once they +ere started! they had no sense to sto and continued +hirling

for hours and hours and the hotter it +as! the harder they +orked. "ll

+ent +ell until a strange boy came to the lace. He +as the son of a

retired officer in the "ustrian army. That urchin ate 9ay/bugs alie and

enGoyed them as though they +ere the finest blue/oint oysters. That

disgusting sight terminated my endeaours in this romising field and ,

hae neer since been able to touch a 9ay/bug or any other insect for

that matter.

"fter that! , beliee! , undertook to take aart and assemble the

+hapter 2 #-


31/99


clocks of my grandfather. ,n the former oeration , +as al+ays

successful! but often failed in the latter. 6o it came that he brought my

+ork to a sudden halt in a manner not too delicate and it took thirty years

before , tackled another clock+ork again.

6hortly thereafter! , +ent into the manufacture of a kind of o/

gun +hich comrised a hollo+ tube! a iston! and t+o lugs of hem.

;hen firing the gun! the iston +as ressed against the stomach and the

tube +as ushed back -uickly +ith both hands. the air bet+een the lugs

+as comressed and raised to a high temerature and one of them +as

exelled +ith a loud reort. The art consisted in selecting a tube of the

roer taer from the hollo+ stalks +hich +ere found in our garden. ,

did ery +ell +ith that gun! but my actiities interfered +ith the +indo+

anes in our house and met +ith ainful discouragement.

,f , remember rightly! , then took to caring s+ords from ieces offurniture +hich , could coneniently obtain. "t that time , +as under the

s+ay of the 6erbian national oetry and full of admiration for the feats of

the heroes. , used to send hours in mo+ing do+n my enemies in the

form of corn/stalks +hich ruined the cros and netted me seeral

sankings from my mother. 9oreoer! these +ere not of the formal kind

but the genuine article.

, had all this and more behind me before , +as six years old and

had assed through one year of elementary school in the illage of

6milGan +here my family lied.

"t this Guncture +e moed to the little city of >osic nearby. This

change of residence +as like a calamity to me. ,t almost broke my heart

+hapter 2 #


32/99


to art from our igeons! chickens and shee! and our magnificent flock

of geese +hich used to rise to the clouds in the morning and return from

the feeding grounds at sundo+n in battle formation! so erfect that it

+ould hae ut a s-uadron of the best aiators of the resent day to

shame. ,n our ne+ house , +as but a risoner! +atching the strange

eole , sa+ through my +indo+ blinds. 9y bashfulness +as such that ,

+ould rather hae faced a roaring lion than one of the city dudes +ho

strolled about. Dut my hardest trial came on 6unday +hen , had to dress

u and attend the serice.

There , met +ith an accident! the mere thought of +hich made my

blood curdle like sour milk for years after+ards. ,t +as my second

adenture in a church. ot long before! , +as entombed for a night in an

old chael on an inaccessible mountain +hich +as isited only once a

year. ,t +as an a+ful exerience! but this one +as +orse.

There +as a +ealthy lady in to+n! a good but omous +oman!

+ho used to come to the church gorgeously ainted u and attired +ith

an enormous train and attendants. 7ne 6unday , had Gust finished ringing

the bell in the belfry and rushed do+nstairs! +hen this grand dame +as

s+eeing out and , Gumed on her train. ,t tore off +ith a riing noise

+hich sounded like a salo of musketry fired by ra+ recruits. 9y father

+as liid +ith rage. He gae me a gentle sla on the cheek! the only

cororal unishment he eer administered to me! but , almost feel it no+.

The embarrassment and confusion that follo+ed are indescribably. , +as

ractically ostracised until something else haened +hich redeemed me

in the estimation of the community.

+hapter 2 #2


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"n enterrising young merchant had organised a fire deartment.

" ne+ fire engine +as urchased! uniforms roided and the men drilled

for serice and arade. The engine +as beautifully ainted red and black.

7ne afternoon! the official trial +as reared for and the machine +as

transorted to the rier. The entire oulation turned out to +itness the

great sectacle. ;hen all the seeches and ceremonies +ere concluded!

the command +as gien to um! but not a dro of +ater came from the

noCCle. The rofessors and exerts tried in ain to locate the trouble.

The fiCCle +as comlete +hen , arried at the scene. 9y

kno+ledge of of the mechanism +as nil and , kne+ next to nothing of air

ressure! but instinctiely , felt for the suction hose in the +ater and

found that it had collased. ;hen , +aded in the rier and oened it u!

the +ater rushed forth and not a fe+ 6unday clothes +ere soiled.

"rchimedes running naked through the streets of 6yracuse and shouting

1ureka at the to of his oice did not make a greater imression than

myself. , +as carried on the shoulders and +as hero of the day.

Aon settling in the city , began a four years course in the so/

called ormal 6chool rearatory to my studies at the ollege or Real/

>ymnasium. #uring this eriod my boyish efforts and exloits as +ell as

troubles! continued.

"mong other things! , attained the uni-ue distinction of chamion

cro+ catcher in the country. 9y method of rocedure +as extremely

simle. , +ould go into the forest! hide in the bushes! and imitate the call

of the birds. Asually , +ould get seeral ans+ers and in a short +hile a

cro+ +ould flutter do+n into the shrubbery near me. "fter that! all ,

+hapter 2 ##


34/99


needed to do +as to thro+ a iece of cardboard to detract its attention!

Gum u and grab it before it could extricate itself from the undergro+th.

,n this +ay , +ould cature as many as , desired. Dut on one occasion

something occurred +hich made me resect them. , had caught a fine

air of birds and +as returning home +ith a friend. ;hen +e left the

forest! thousands of cro+s had gathered making a frightful racket. ,n a

fe+ minutes they rose in ursuit and soon eneloed us. The fun lasted

until all of a sudden , receied a blo+ on the back of my head +hich

knocked me do+n. Then they attacked me iciously. , +as comelled to

release the t+o birds and +as glad to Goin my friend +ho had taken

refuge in a cae.

,n the school room there +ere a fe+ mechanical models +hich

interested me and turned my attention to +ater turbines. , constructed

many of these and found great leasure in oerating them. Ho+

extraordinary +as my life an incident may illustrate. 9y uncle had no use

for this kind of astime and more than once rebuked me. , +as fascinated

by a descrition of iagara Ealls , had erused! and ictured in my

imagination a big +heel run by the falls. , told my uncle that , +ould go

to "merica and carry out this scheme. Thirty years later , +as my ideas

carried out at iagara and marelled at the unfathomable mystery of the

mind.

, made all kinds of other contriances and contrations but among

those! the arbalests , roduced +ere the best. 9y arro+s! +hen short!

disaeared from sight and at close range traersed a lank of ine one

inch thick. Through the continuous tightening of the bo+s , deeloed a

skin on my stomach much like that of a crocodile and , am often

+hapter 2 #$


35/99


+ondering +hether it is due to this exercise that , am able een no+ to

digest cobble/stones or can , ass in silence my erformances +ith the

sling +hich +ould hae enabled me to gie a stunning exhibit at the

Hiodrome. "nd no+ , +ill tell of one of my feats +ith this uni-ue

imlement of +ar +hich +ill strain to the utmost the credulity of the

reader.

, +as ractising +hile +alking +ith my uncle along the rier. The

sun +as setting! the trout +ere layful and from time to time one +ould

shoot u into the air! its glistening body sharly defined against a

roGecting rock beyond. 7f course any boy might hae hit a fish under

these roitious conditions but , undertook a much more difficult task

and , foretold to my uncle! to the minutest detail! +hat , intended doing. ,

+as to hurl a stone to meet the fish! ress its body against the rock! and

cut it in t+o. ,t +as no sooner said than done. 9y uncle looked at me

almost scared out of his +its and exclaimed KOade retra 6atanaeL and it

+as a fe+ days before he soke to me again. 7ther records! ho+eer

great! +ill be eclised but , feel that , could eacefully rest on my laurels

for a thousand years.

+hapter 2 #"


36/99

!"#ter $

.o/ Tesla +on&ei0ed The 1otary

agneti& ield

*y Nikola Tesla


37/99


"t the age of ten , entered the Real gymnasium +hich +as a ne+

and fairly +ell e-uied institution. ,n the deartment of hysics +ere

arious models of classical scientific aaratus! electrical and

mechanical. The demonstrations and exeriments erformed from time to

time by the instructors fascinated me and +ere undoubtedly a o+erful

incentie to inention. , +as also assionately fond of mathematical

studies and often +on the rofessor?s raise for raid calculation. This

+as due to my ac-uired facility of isualising the figures and erforming

the oeration! not in the usual intuitie manner! but as in actual life. A

to a certain degree of comlexity it +as absolutely the same to me

+hether , +rote the symbols on the board or conGured them before my

mental ision. Dut freehand dra+ing! to +hich many hours of the course

+ere deoted! +as an annoyance , could not endure. This +as rather

remarkable as most of the members of the family excelled in it. Perhas

my aersion +as simly due to the redilection , found in undisturbedthought. Had it not been for a fe+ excetionally stuid boys! +ho could

not do anything at all! my record +ould hae been the +orst.

,t +as a serious handica as under the then existing educational

regime dra+ing being obligatory! this deficiency threatened to soil my

+hole career and my father had considerable trouble in rail/roading me

from one class to another.

,n the second year at that institution , became obsessed +ith the

idea of roducing continuous motion through steady air ressure. The

um incident! of +hich , hae been told! had set afire my youthful

imagination and imressed me +ith the boundless ossibilities of a

acuum. , gre+ frantic in my desire to harness this inexhaustible energy

+hapter # 3 .o/ Tesla +on&ei0ed The 1otary agneti& ield #


38/99


but for a long time , +as groing in the dark. Einally! ho+eer! my

endeaours crystallised in an inention +hich +as to enable me to

achiee +hat no other mortal eer attemted. ,magine a cylinder freely

rotatable on t+o bearings and artly surrounded by a rectangular trough

+hich fits it erfectly.

The oen side of the trough is enclosed by a artition so that the

cylindrical segment +ithin the enclosure diides the latter into t+o

comartments entirely searated from each other by air/tight sliding

Goints. 7ne of these comartments being sealed and once for all

exhausted! the other remaining oen! a eretual rotation of the cylinder

+ould result. "t least! so , thought.

" +ooden model +as constructed and fitted +ith infinite care and

+hen , alied the um on one side and actual obsered that there +as a

tendency to turning! , +as delirious +ith Goy. 9echanical flight +as theone thing , +anted to accomlish although still under the discouraging

recollection of a bad fall , sustained by Guming +ith an umbrella from

the to of a building. 1ery day , used to transort myself through the air

to distant regions but could not understand Gust ho+ , managed to do it.

o+ , had something concrete! a flying machine +ith nothing more than

a rotating shaft! flaing +ings! and / a acuum of unlimited o+er

Erom that time on , made my daily aerial excursions in a ehicle of

comfort and luxury as might hae befitted @ing 6olomon. ,t took years

before , understood that the atmosheric ressure acted at right angles to

the surface of the cylinder and that the slight rotary effort , obsered +as

due to a leak Though this kno+ledge came gradually it gae me a

+hapter # 3 .o/ Tesla +on&ei0ed The 1otary agneti& ield #8


39/99


ainful shock.

, had hardly comleted my course at the Real >ymnasium +hen ,+as rostrated +ith a dangerous illness or rather! a score of them! and my

condition became so deserate that , +as gien u by hysicians. #uring

this eriod , +as ermitted to read constantly! obtaining books from the

Public 8ibrary +hich had been neglected and entrusted to me for

classification of the +orks and rearation of catalogues.

7ne day , +as handed a fe+ olumes of ne+ literature unlike

anything , had eer read before and so catiating as to make me utterly

forget me hoeless state.

They +ere the earlier +orks of 9ark T+ain and to them might

hae been due the miraculous recoery +hich follo+ed. T+enty/fie

years later! +hen , met 9r. lements and +e formed a friendshi

bet+een us! , told him of the exerience and +as amaCed to see that great

man of laughter burst into tears...

9y studies +ere continued at the higher Real >ymnasium in

arlstadt! roatia! +here one of my aunts resided. 6he +as a

distinguished lady! the +ife of a olonel +ho +as an old +ar/horse

haing articiated in many battles! , can neer forget the three years ,assed at their home. o fortress in time of +ar +as under a more rigid

disciline. , +as fed like a canary bird. "ll the meals +ere of the highest

-uality and deliciously reared! but short in -uantity by a thousand

ercent.

The slices of ham cut by my aunt +ere like tissue aer. ;hen the

+hapter # 3 .o/ Tesla +on&ei0ed The 1otary agneti& ield #!


40/99


olonel +ould ut something substantial on my late she +ould snatch it

a+ay and say excitedly to him KDe careful. iko is ery delicate.L , had

a oracious aetite and suffered like Tantalus.

Dut , lied in an atmoshere of refinement and artistic taste -uite

unusual for those times and conditions. The land +as lo+ and marshy

and malaria feer neer left me +hile there desite the enormous

amounts of -unine , consumed. 7ccasionally the rier +ould rise and

drie an army of rats into the buildings! deouring eerything! een to

the bundles of fierce arika. These ests +ere to me a +elcome

diersion. , thinned their ranks by all sorts of means! +hich +on me the

uneniable distinction of rat/catcher in the community. "t last! ho+eer!

my course +as comleted! the misery ended! and , obtained the

certificate of maturity +hich brought me to the cross/roads.

#uring all those years my arents neer +aered in their resole tomake me embrace the clergy! the mere thought of +hich filled me +ith

dread. , had become intensely interested in electricity under the

stimulating influence of my Professor of Physics! +ho +as an ingenious

man and often demonstrated the rinciles by aaratus of his o+n

inention. "mong these , recall a deice in the shae of a freely rotatable

bulb! +ith tinfoil coating! +hich +as made to sin raidly +hen

connected to a static machine. ,t is imossible for me to coney an

ade-uate idea of the intensity of feeling , exerienced in +itnessing his

exhibitions of these mysterious henomena. 1ery imression roduced

a thousand echoes in my mind.

, +anted to kno+ more of this +onderful force , longed for

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exeriment and inestigation and resigned myself to the ineitable +ith

aching heart. Just as , +as making ready for the long Gourney home ,

receied +ord that my father +ished me to go on a shooting exedition.

,t +as a strange re-uest as he had been al+ays strenuously oosed to

this kind of sort. Dut a fe+ days later , learned that the cholera +as

raging in that district and! taking adantage of an oortunity! , returned

to >osic in disregard to my arent?s +ishes. ,t is incredible ho+

absolutely ignorant eole +ere as to the causes of this scourge +hich

isited the country in interals of fifteen to t+enty years. They thought

that the deadly agents +ere transmitted through the air and filled it +ith

ungent odours and smoke. ,n the meantime they drank infested +ater

and died in heas. , contracted the dreadful disease on the ery day of my

arrial and although suriing the crisis! , +as confined to bed for nine

months +ith scarcely any ability to moe. 9y energy +as comletely

exhausted and for the second time , found myself at #eath?s door.

,n one of the sinking sells +hich +as thought to be the last! my

father rushed into the room. , still see his allid face as he tried to cheer

me in tones belying his assurance. KPerhas!L , said! K, may get +ell if

you +ill let me study engineering.L KIou +ill go to the best technical

institution in the +orld!L he solemnly relied! and , kne+ that he meant

it. " heay +eight +as lifted from my mind but the relief +ould hae

come too late had it not been for a marellous cure brought through a

bitter decoction of a eculiar bean. , came to life like 8aCarus to the utter

amaCement of eerybody.

9y father insisted that , send a year in healthful hysical outdoor

exercise to +hich , reluctantly consented. Eor most of this term , roamed

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in the mountains! loaded +ith a hunter?s outfit and a bundle of books!

and this contact +ith nature made me stronger in body as +ell as in mind.

, thought and lanned! and conceied many ideas almost as a rule

delusie. The ision +as clear enough but the kno+ledge of rinciles

+as ery limited.

,n one of my inention , roosed to coney letters and ackages

across the seas! through a submarine tube! in sherical containers of

sufficient strength to resist the hydraulic ressure. The uming lant!

intended to force the +ater through the tube! +as accurately figured and

designed and all other articulars carefully +orked out.

7nly one trifling detail! of no conse-uence! +as lightly dismissed.

, assumed an arbitrary elocity of the +ater and! +hat is more! took

leasure in making it high! thus arriing at a stuendous erformance

suorted by faultless calculations.

6ubse-uent reflections! ho+eer! on the resistance of ies to fluid

flo+ induced me to make this inention ublic roerty.

"nother one of my roGects +as to construct a ring around the

e-uator +hich +ould! of course! float freely and could be arrested in its

sinning motion by reactionary forces! thus enabling trael at a rate ofabout one thousand miles an hour! imracticable by rail. The reader +ill

smile. The lan +as difficult of execution! , +ill admit! but not nearly so

bad as that of a +ell kno+n e+ Iork rofessor! +ho +anted to um

the air from the torrid to temerate Cones! entirely forgetful of the fact

that the 8ord had roided a gigantic machine for this urose.

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6till another scheme! far more imortant and attractie! +as to

derie o+er from the rotational energy of terrestrial bodies. , had

discoered that obGects on the earth?s surface o+ing to the diurnal

rotation of the globe! are carried by the same alternately in and against

the direction of translatory moement. Erom this results a great change in

momentum +hich could be utilised in the simlest imaginable manner to

furnish motie effort in any habitable region of the +orld. , cannot find

+ords to describe my disaointment +hen later , realised that , +as in

the redicament of "rchimedes! +ho ainly sought for a fixed oint in

the unierse.

"t the termination of my acation , +as sent to the Poly/Technic

6chool in >ratC! 6tyria "ustria&! +hich my father had chosen as one of

the oldest and best reuted institutions. That +as the moment , had

eagerly a+aited and , began my studies under good ausices and firmly

resoled to succeed. 9y reious training +as aboe aerage! due to my

father?s teaching and oortunities afforded. , had ac-uired the

kno+ledge of a number of languages and +aded through the books of

seeral libraries! icking u information more or less useful. Then again!

for the first time! , could choose my subGects as , liked! and free/hand

dra+ing +as to bother me no more.

, had made u my mind to gie my arents a surrise! and during the

+hole first year , regularly started my +ork at three o?clock in the

morning and continued until eleen at night! no 6undays or holidays

exceted. "s most of my fello+/students took things easily! naturally ,

eclised all records. ,n the course of the year , assed through nine

exams and the rofessors thought , desered more than the highest

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-ualifications. "rmed +ith their flattering certificated! , +ent home for a

short rest! execting triumh! and +as mortified +hen my father made

light of these hard/+on honours.

That almost killed my ambition but later! after he had died! , +as

ained to find a ackage of letters +hich the rofessors had +ritten to

him to the effect that unless he took me a+ay from the ,nstitution , +ould

be killed through oer+ork.

Thereafter , deoted myself chiefly to hysics! mechanics and

mathematical studies! sending the hours of leisure in the libraries.

, had a eritable mania for finishing +hateer , began! +hich often

got me into difficulties. 7n one occasion , started to read the +orks of

Ooltaire! +hen , learned! to my dismay that there +ere close to one

hundred large olumes in small rint +hich that monster had +ritten

+hile drinking seenty/t+o cus of black coffee er diem. ,t had to be

done! but +hen , laid aside that last book , +as ery glad! and said!

Keer moreL 9y first year?s sho+ing had +on me the areciation and

friendshi of seeral rofessors. "mong these! Professor Rogner! +ho

+as teaching arithmetical subGects and geometry Professor Poeschl! +ho

held the chair of theoretical and exerimental hysics! and #r. "lle! +ho

taught integral calculus and secialised in differential e-uations. This

scientist +as the most brilliant lecturer to +hom , eer listened. He took

a secial interest in my rogress and +ould fre-uently remain for an hour

or t+o in the lecture room! giing me roblems to sole! in +hich ,

delighted. To him , exlained a flying machine , had conceied! not an

illusory inention! but one based on sound! scientific rinciles! +hich

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has become realisable through my turbine and +ill soon be gien to the

+orld. Doth Professors Rogner and Poeschl +ere curious men. The

former had eculiar +ays of exressing himself and +heneer he did so!

there +as a riot! follo+ed by a long embarrassing ause. Professor

Poeschl +as a methodical and thoroughly grounded >erman. He had

enormous feet! and hands like the a+s of a bear! but all of his

exeriments +ere skilfully erformed +ith clock/like recision and

+ithout a miss. ,t +as in the second year of my studies that +e receied a

>ramoe #yname from Paris! haing the horseshoe form of a laminated

field magnet! and a +ire +ound armature +ith a commutator. ,t +as

connected u and arious effects of the currents +ere sho+n. ;hile

Professor Poeschl +as making demonstrations! running the machine +as

a motor! the brushes gae trouble! sarking badly! and , obsered that it

might be ossible to oerate a motor +ithout these aliances. Dut he

declared that it could not be done and did me the honour of deliering alecture on the subGect! at the conclusion he remarked! K9r. Tesla may

accomlish great things! but he certainly +ill neer do this. ,t +ould be

e-uialent to conerting a steadily ulling force! like that of graity into

a rotary effort. ,t is a eretual motion scheme! an imossible idea.L Dut

instinct is something +hich transcends kno+ledge. ;e hae!

undoubtedly! certain finer fibres that enable us to erceie truths +hen

logical deduction! or any other +ilful effort of the brain! is futile.

Eor a time , +aered! imressed by the rofessor?s authority! but

soon became coninced , +as right and undertook the task +ith all the

fire and boundless confidence of my youth. , started by first icturing in

my mind a direct/current machine! running it and follo+ing the changing

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flo+ of the currents in the armature.

Then , +ould imagine an alternator and inestigate the rogressestaking lace in a similar manner. ext , +ould isualise systems

comrising motors and generators and oerate them in arious +ays.

The images , sa+ +ere to me erfectly real and tangible. "ll my

remaining term in >ratC +as assed in intense but fruitless efforts of this

kind! and , almost came to the conclusion that the roblem +as

insolable.

,n (**0 , +ent to Prague! Dohemia! carrying out my father?s +ish

to comlete my education at the Aniersity there. ,t +as in that city that ,

made a decided adance! +hich consisted in detaching the commutator

from the machine and studying the henomena in this ne+ asect! but

still +ithout result. ,n the year follo+ing there +as a sudden change in

my ie+s of life.

, realised that my arents had been making too great sacrifices on

my account and resoled to reliee them of the burden. The +ae of the

"merican telehone had Gust reached the 1uroean continent and the

system +as to be installed in Dudaest! Hungary. ,t aeared an ideal

oortunity! all the more as a friend of our family +as at the head of theenterrise.

,t +as here that , suffered the comlete breakdo+n of the neres to +hich

, hae referred. ;hat , exerienced during the eriod of the illness

surasses all belief. 9y sight and hearing +ere al+ays extraordinary. ,

could clearly discern obGects in the distance +hen others sa+ no trace of

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them. 6eeral times in my boyhood , saed the houses of our neighbours

from fire by hearing the faint crackling sounds +hich did not disturb

their slee! and calling for hel. ,n (*''! +hen , +as ast forty and

carrying on my exeriments in olorado! , could hear ery distinctly

thunderclas at a distance of 550 miles. 9y ear +as thus oer thirteen

times more sensitie! yet at that time , +as! so to seak! stone deaf in

comarison +ith the acuteness of my hearing +hile under the nerous

strain.

,n Dudaest , could hear the ticking of a +atch +ith three rooms

bet+een me and the time/iece. " fly alighting on a table in the room

+ould cause a dull thud in my ear. " carriage assing at a distance of a

fe+ miles fairly shook my +hole body.

The +histle of a locomotie t+enty or thirty miles a+ay made the

bench or chair on +hich , sat! ibrate so strongly that the ain +asunbearable. The ground under my feet trembled continuously. , had to

suort my bed on rubber cushions to get any rest at all. The roaring

noises from near and far often roduced the effect of soken +ords

+hich +ould hae frightened me had , not been able to resole them into

their accumulated comonents. The sun rays! +hen eriodically

interceted! +ould cause blo+s of such force on my brain that they

+ould stun me. , had to summon all my +ill o+er to ass under a bridge

or other structure! as , exerienced the crushing ressure on the skull. ,n

the dark , had the sense of a bat! and could detect the resence of an

obGect at a distance of t+ele feet by a eculiar creey sensation on the

forehead. 9y ulse aried from a fe+ to t+o hundred and sixty beats and

all the tissues of my body +ith t+itchings and tremors! +hich +as

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erhas hardest to bear. " reno+ned hysician +ho hae me daily large

doses of Dromide of Potassium! ronounced my malady uni-ue and

incurable.

,t is my eternal regret that , +as not under the obseration of

exerts in hysiology and sychology at that time. , clung deserately to

life! but neer exected to recoer. an anyone beliee that so hoeless a

hysical +reck could eer be transformed into a man of astonishing

strength and tenacity able to +ork thirty/eight years almost +ithout a

day?s interrution! and find himself still strong and fresh in body and

mind% 6uch is my case. " o+erful desire to lie and to continue the

+ork and the assistance of a deoted friend! an athlete! accomlished the

+onder. 9y health returned and +ith it the igour of mind. ,n attacking

the roblem again! , almost regretted that the struggle +as soon to end.

, had so much energy to sare. ;hen , understood the task! it +asnot +ith a resole such as men often make. ;ith me it +as a sacred o+!

a -uestion of life and death.

, kne+ that , +ould erish if , failed. o+ , felt that the battle +as

+on. Dack in the dee recesses of the brain +as the solution! but , could

net yet gie it out+ard exression.

7ne afternoon! +hich is eer resent in my recollection! , +as

enGoying a +alk +ith my friend in the ity Park and reciting oetry. "t

that age! , kne+ entire books by heart! +ord for +ord. 7ne of these +as

>oethe?s KEaust.L The sun +as Gust setting and reminded me of the

glorious assage! K6ie ruckt und +eicht! der Tag ist uberlebt! #ort eilt sie

hin und fordert neues 8eben. 7h! da kein Elugel mich om Doden hebt

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,hr nach und immer nach Cu streben 1in schSner Traum indessen sie

ent+eicht! "ch! au des >eistes Elgein +ird so leicht @ein korerlicher

Elugel sich gesellenL "s , uttered these insiring +ords the idea came

like a flash of lightening and in an instant the truth +as reealed. , dre+

+ith a stick on the sand! the diagram sho+n six years later in my address

before the "merican ,nstitute of 1lectrical 1ngineers! and my comanion

understood them erfectly. The images , sa+ +ere +onderfully shar and

clear and had the solidity of metal and stone! so much so that , told him!

K6ee my motor here +atch me reerse it.L , cannot begin to describe my

emotions. Pygmalion seeing his statue come to life could not hae been

more deely moed. " thousand secrets of nature +hich , might hae

stumbled uon accidentally! , +ould hae gien for that one +hich , had

+rested from her against all odds and at the eril of my existence...

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!"#ter %

The 4is&o0ery of the Tesla +oil and

Transfor5er

(The *asi& 6art of E0ery 1adio and T77)

*y Nikola Tesla


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Eor a +hile , gae myself u entirely to the intense enGoyment of

icturing machines and deising ne+ forms. ,t +as a mental state of

hainess about as comlete as , hae eer kno+n in life. ,deas came in

an uninterruted stream and the only difficulty , had +as to hold them

fast. The ieces of aaratus , conceied +ere to me absolutely real and

tangible in eery detail! een to the minutest marks and signs of +ear. ,

delighted in imagining the motors constantly running! for in this +ay

they resented to the mind?s eye a fascinating sight. ;hen natural

inclination deelos into a assionate desire! one adances to+ards his

goal in seen/league boots. ,n less than t+o months , eoled irtually

all the tyes of motors and modifications of the system +hich are no+

identified +ith my name! and +hich are used under many other names all

oer the +orld. ,t +as! erhas! roidential that the necessities of

existence commanded a temorary halt to this consuming actiity of the

mind.

, came to Dudaest romted by a remature reort concerning the

telehone enterrise and! as irony of fate +illed it! , had to accet a

osition as draughtsman in the entral Telegrah 7ffice of the

Hungarian >oernment at a salary +hich , deem it my riilege not to

disclose. Eortunately! , soon +on the interest of the ,nsector/in/hief

and +as thereafter emloyed on calculations! designs and estimates in

connection +ith ne+ installations! until the Telehone exchange started!

+hen , took charge of the same. The kno+ledge and ractical exerience

, gained in the course of this +ork! +as most aluable and the

emloyment gae me amle oortunities for the exercise of my

inentie faculties. , made seeral imroements in the entral 6tation

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aaratus and erfected a telehone reeater or amlifier +hich +as

neer atented or ublicly described but +ould be creditable to me een

today. ,n recognition of my efficient assistance the organiser of the

undertaking! 9r. Puskas! uon disosing of his business in Dudaest!

offered me a osition in Paris +hich , gladly acceted.

, neer can forget the dee imression that magic city roduced on

my mind. Eor seeral days after my arrial! , roamed through the streets

in utter be+ilderment of the ne+ sectacle. The attractions +ere many

and irresistible! but! alas! the income +as sent as soon as receied.

;hen 9r. Puskas asked me ho+ , +as getting along in the ne+ shere! ,

described the situation accurately in the statement that KThe last t+enty/

nine days of the month are the toughest.L , led a rather strenuous life in

+hat +ould no+ be termed KRooseeltian fashion.L 1ery morning!

regardless of the +eather! , +ould go from the Douleard 6t. 9arcel!

+here , resided! to a bathing house on the 6eine lunge into the +ater!

loo the circuit t+enty/seen times and then +alk an hour to reach ,ry!

+here the omany?s factory +as located. There , +ould hae a +ood/

choer?s breakfast at half/ast seen o?clock and then eagerly a+ait the

lunch hour! in the mean+hile cracking hard nuts for the 9anager of the

;orks! 9r. harles Datchellor! +ho +as an intimate friend and assistant

of 1dison.

Here , +as thro+n in contact +ith a fe+ "mericans +ho fairly fell

in loe +ith my because of my roficiency in Dilliards To these men ,

exlained my inention and one of them! 9r. #. unningham! foreman

of the 9echanical #eartment! offered to form a stock comany. The

roosal seemed to me comical in the extreme. , did not hae the faintest

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concetion of +hat he meant! excet that it +as an "merican +ay of

doing things. othing came of it! ho+eer! and during the next fe+

months , had to trael from one lace to another in Erance and >ermany

to cure the ills of the o+er lants.

7n my return to Paris! , submitted to one of the administrators of

the omany! 9r. Rau! a lan for imroing their dynamos and +as

gien an oortunity. 9y success +as comlete and the delighted

directors accorded me the riilege of deeloing automatic regulators

+hich +ere much desired. 6hortly after! there +as some trouble +ith the

lighting lant +hich had been installed at the ne+ railroad station in

6traburg! "lsace. The +iring +as defectie and on the occasion of the

oening ceremonies! a large art of a +all +as blo+n out through a

short/circiut! right in the resence of old 1meror ;illiam ,. The >erman

>oernment refused to take the lant and the Erench omany +as

facing a serious loss. 7n account of my kno+ledge of the >erman

language and ast exerience! , +as entrusted +ith the difficult task of

straightening out matters and early in (**:! , +ent to 6traburg on that

mission.

6ome of the incidents in that city hae left an indelible record on

my memory.

Dy a curious coincidence! a number of the men +ho subse-uently

achiee fame! lied there about that time. ,n later life , used to say!

KThere +ere bacteria of greatness in that old to+n.L 7thers caught the

disease! but , escaedL The ractical +ork! corresondence! and

conferences +ith officials ket me reoccuied day and night! but as

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soon as , +as able to manage! , undertook the construction of a simle

motor in a mechanical sho oosite the rail/road station! haing brought

+ith me from Paris some material for that urose. The consummation of

the exeriment +as! ho+eer! delayed until the summer of that year!

+hen , finally had the satisfaction of seeing the rotation effected by

alternating currents of different hase! and +ithout sliding contacts or

commutator! as , had conceied a year before. ,t +as an ex-uisite

leasure but not to comare +ith the delirium of Goy follo+ing the first

reelation.

"mong my ne+ friends +as the former 9ayor of the city! 9r.

6auCin! +hom , had already! in a measure! ac-uainted +ith this and other

inentions of mine and +hose suort , endeaoured to enlist. He +as

sincerely deoted to me and ut my roGect before seeral +ealthy

ersons! but to my mortification! found no resonse. He +anted to hel

me in eery ossible +ay and the aroach of the first of July! ('()!

haens to remind me of a form of KassistanceL , receied from that

charming man! +hich +as not financial! but none the less areciated. ,n

(*)0! +hen the >ermans inaded the country! 9r. 6auCin had buried a

good siCed allotment of 6t. 1stehe of (*0( and he came to the

conclusion that he kne+ no +orthier erson than myself! to consume that

recious beerage. This! , may say! is one of the unforgettable incidents

to +hich , hae referred. 9y friend urged me to return to Paris as soon as

ossible and seek suort there. This , +as anxious to do! but my +ork

and negotiations +ere rotracted! o+ing to all sorts of etty obstacles ,

encountered! so that at times the situation seemed hoeless. Just to gie

an idea of >erman thoroughness and Kefficiency!L , may mention here a

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rather funny exerience.

"n incandescent lam of ( c.. +as to be laced in a hall+ay! and uonselected the roer location! , ordered the KmonteurL to run the +ires.

"fter +orking for a +hile! he concluded that the engineer had to be

consulted and this +as done. The latter made seeral obGections but

ultimately agreed that the lam should be laced t+o inches from the

sot , had assigned! +hereuon the +ork roceeded. Then the engineer

became +orried and told me that ,nsector "erdeck should be notified.

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That imortant erson +as called! he inestigated! debated! and

decided that the lam should be shifted back t+o inches! +hich +as the

laced , had marked ,t +as not long! ho+eer! before "erdeck got cold

feet himself and adised me that he had informed 7ber/,nsector

Hieronimus of the matter and that , should a+ait his decision. ,t +as

seeral days before the 7ber/,nsector +as able to free himself of other

ressing duties! but at last he arried and a t+o hour debate follo+ed!

+hen he decided to moe the lam t+o inches further. 9y hoes that this

nikola tesla autobiography v 3

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