From The Edinburgh Review.
FARADAY.*

FARADAY, it has been truly said, was Davy's greatest discovery. Faraday, the blacksmith's son, the bookbinder's

ap

trance as a labourer in the field of science in 1812 until he peacefully lay down to rest, at Hampton Court, on August 25th, 1867. Here, too, we find records of his scientific work, often given in his own

prentice, the pure, humble-minded seeker words; so that these, taken together with

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extracts from his lectures and selections from his letters, form a picture of his life which may be almost looked upon as an autobiography.

after truth, the greatest experimentalist whom the world has yet seen. It is easy from the life of such a man to collect many topics of interest, and to obtain many useful subjects for reflection. But to give a true and complete picture of the man Faraday-to place his high and simple character, his tender heart, his quick imagination, his powerful intellect, in a clear light is a task of no ordinary difficulty. Whilst to form an unbiassed judgment upon his great "To write a life of Faraday," says Dr. Bence scientific labours and to fix the exact posi-Jones, " seemed to me at first a hopeless work. tion he will ultimately occupy in the ranks Although I had listened to him as a lecturer for of science is now scarcely possible for even thirty years and had been with him frequently the most distinguished amongst his fellow-for upwards of twenty years, and although for workers. Michael Faraday is still to these more than fifteen years he had known me as one a living word; they have known him and of his most intimate friends, yet my knowledge loved him; they have watched the flashing of him made me feel that he was too good a man of his eyes and the working of his face as for me to estimate rightly, and that he was too he explained his discoveries; and great a philosopher for me to understand mellow tones of his kind voice still ring in thoroughly." their ears.

That his biographer felt keenly the difficulty of writing a life of Faraday is seen from the following words in the Preface; and yet the task could not have wel! fallen into abler hands, nor could it easily have been more satisfactorily accomplished.

the

It is not therefore to the present generation of men of science that we can look for the true estimate of Faraday's work. "Death, with destroying fingers," must still be active before the cold unimpassioned critic can weigh to the exact scruple the measure of this great man's life. Let it be enough for us to endeavour simply to give an impression, in the first place of the man himself, and then of his most important labours. For the material needed in the first portion of this task we are almost wholly indebted to Dr. Bence Jones's admirable work, "The Life and Letters of Faraday," written by one who knew him intimately and to whom every memory of Faraday is dear. In these two volumes we find a most perfect description of his character and of his daily life, from his first en

1. The Life and Letters of Faraday. By Dr. BENCE JONES, Secretary of the Royal Institution.

Second edition. 1870.

2. Faraday as a Discoverer. By JoHN TYNDALL. New edition 1870.

3 Eloge historique de Michel Faraday. Par M. DUMAS, Secretaire perpetuel de l'Academie des Sciences. Paris: 1863.

In order to help us in tracing the scien tific triumphs of bis outwardly uneventful life, we could not have better guides than Professor Tyndall's lectures on Faraday as a Discoverer, and Monsieur Dumas's eloquent Eloge before the French Academy of Sciences on the event of Faraday's death. In both of these we find the work well done by able as well as by loving hands. No living man is more competent than Dr. Tyndall to give an account of Faraday's scientific labours; he knew Faraday (at any rate in his later years) more intimately than any other man of science; their investigations lay much in the same direction, whilst in both we see that intense love of nature which is the true mark of a scientific spirit.

Michael Faraday was born at Newington, in Surrey, on September 22, 1791. His father afterwards worked as a blacksmith at Boyd's, in Welbeck Street, and when Michael was about five years old, the family removed to rooms over a coach-house in Jacob's Well Mews, Charles Street, Manchester Square. This was the home of Faraday for ten years, and he has himself

says,

A commonplace book, termed the "Philosophical Miscellany," was kept by Fara day at this time, "intended," he says, *to promote both amusement and instruction, and also to corroborate or invalidate those theories which are continually starting into the world of science. Collected by M. Faraday, 1809-10." In this book we find notices of all sorts, chiefly, however, relating to scientific matters, some showing a true perception of the importance of scientific discoveries. Thus one article is headed “Galvanism. Mr. Davy has announced to the Royal Society a great discovery in chemistry the fixed alkalies have been decomposed by the galvanic battery." It is interesting to hear from his own lips the story of his first visit to the Royal Institution, so long the scene of his labours and triumphs;

pointed out where he used to play at mar- obtained a knowledge of these lectures by bills bles in Spanish Place, and where, years in the streets and shop-windows near his house. later, he nursed his little sister in Man- The hour was eight o'clock in the evening chester Square. My education," he The charge was one shilling per lecture, and my "was of the most ordinary description, brother Robert (who was three years older and consisting of little more than the rudiments followed his father's business) made me a pres of reading, writing, and arithmetic, at a ent of the money for several.” common day school; my hours out of school were passed at home and in the streets." In 1804, when thirteen years of age, he went on trial as shopboy to Mr. Riebau, a bookseller then carrying on business at 2 Blandford Street, close to the mews. A year later he was apprenticed, and in consideration of his faithful service no premium is given." Dr. Bence Jones tells a story which at once gives us an insight into Faraday's heart. Long after he was famous, as he was walking with his niece they met a news-boy: "I always feel a tenderness for those boys," said he, "because I once carried newspapers myself." Four years later (1809), his father writes of him: Michael is bookbinder and stationer, and is very active in learning his business . . . he likes his place well; he had a hard time for some while at first going; but, as the old saying goes, he has "During my apprenticeship I had the good rather got the head above water, as there fortune, through the kindness of Mr. Dance, is (sic) two other boys under him." That who was a customer of my master's shop and from these earliest years Faraday showed a also a member of the Royal Institution, to hear thirst for knowledge and a taste for experi- four of the last lectures of Sir H. Davy in that ment is seen from the following remarks locality. The dates of these lectures were made by himself: February 29th, March 14th, April 8th and 10th, 1812. Of these I made notes, and then Whilst an apprentice I loved to read scien-wrote out the lectures in a fuller form, intertific books which were under my hands, and,

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amongst them, delighted in Marcet's Conversations in Chemistry,' and the electrical treatises in the Encyclopædia Britannica.' I made such simple experiments in chemistry as could be defrayed in their expense by a few pence per week, and also constructed an electrical machine, first with a glass phial, and afterwards with a real cylinder, as well as other electrical apparatus of a corresponding kind." He told a friend that Watts 'On the Mind" first made him think, and that his attention was turned to science by the article "Electricity," in an encyclopædia he was employed to bind.

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"My master," he says, "allowed me to go occasionally of an evening to hear the lectures delivered by Mr. Tatum on Natural Philosophy, at his house, 53 Dorset Street, Fleet Street. I

spersing them with such drawings as I could make. The desire to be engaged in scientific occupation, even though of the lowest kind, induced me, whilst an apprentice, to write, in my ignorance of the world and simplicity of my mind, to Sir Joseph Banks, then President of the Royal Society. Naturally enough, 'no answer was the reply left with the porter."

Next follows in Dr. Bence Jones's Life a long series of letters written at this time to young Abbott, a friend somewhat younger than Faraday, and his superior in school attainments. These letters are invaluable as showing his thoughts when, as he says, be was giving up trade and taking to science." The following extract will serve to show that the Biographer truly estimates

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* He always sat in the gallery over the clock.

the remarkable character of these early let- me, and I was forced to believe him, and with ters when he says: that belief came admiration."

"It is difficult to believe that they were written by one who had been a newspaper-boy for the philosopher who was then startling

This admiration for scientific research and

and who was still a bookbinder's apprentice, Europe with his discoveries so worked upon not yet twenty-one years of age, and whose only the mind of the journeyman bookbinder, education had been the rudiments of reading, that "under the encouragement of Mr. writing, and arithmetic. Had they been writ- Dance" (who had taken him to Davy's lecten by a highly-educated gentleman, they would tures,) "I wrote to Sir Humphry, sending, have been remarkable for the easy correctness as a proof of my earnestness, the notes I and fluency of their style, and for the courtesy, had taken of his last four lectures." My kindness, candour, deference, and even humility desire," he wrote some years afterwards to of the thoughts which they contain." Dr. Paris, was to escape from trade, which I thought vicious and selfish, and to enter into the service of science, which I imagined made its pursuers amiable and liberal." The answer (to Davy's honour) was immediate, kind, and favourable.

The following extract from his first letter to Abbott shows how he began to educate himself in experiment, and how all his thoughts were directed towards science:

"I have lately made a few simple galvanic experiments, merely to illustrate to myself the first principles of the science. I was going to Knight's to obtain some nickel, and bethought me that they had malleable zinc. I inquired and bought some have you seen any yet? The first portion I obtained was in the thinnest pieces possible - observe, in a flattened state. It was, they informed me, thin enough for the electric stick, or, as I before called it, De Luc's electric column. I obtained it for the purpose of forming discs, with which and copper to make a little battery. The first I completed contained the immense number of seven pairs of plates!!! and of the immense size of half-pence each!!!!!! “I, sir, I my own self, cut out seven discs of the size of halfpennies each! I, sir, covered them with seven halfpence, and I interposed between, seven, or rather six, pieces of paper

soaked in a solution of muriate of soda!!!

But

laugh no longer, dear A., rather wonder at the effects this trivial power produced. It was sufficient to produce the decomposition of sulphate of magnesia - an effect which extremely surprised me; for I did not, could not, have any idea that the agent was competent to the purpose."

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"At the same time that he gratified my desires as to scientific employment, he still advised me not to give up the prospects I had before me, telling me that science was a harsh mistress and, in a pecuniary point of view, but poorly rewarding those who devoted themselves to her He smiled at my notion of the superior service. moral feelings of philosophic men, and said he would leave me to the experience of a few years to set me right on that matter." (March 1, 1813.)

Soon after the interview Faraday was installed, at Davy's recommendation, as assistant in the Laboratory at the Royal Institution at the salary of 25s. a week, with two rooms at the top of the house.

Now Faraday felt himself, for the first time in his life in a congenial atmosphere, and only six days after his installation he writes to Abbott in spirits as high as in his latter letters they had been depressed; full of his chemical work, “making a compound of sulphur and carbon, a combination which has lately occupied in a considerable degree the attention of chemists." Only a few weeks later he was employed by Davy to assist him in the investigation of the most explosive body even now known to chemists-chloride of nitrogen, and this fact speaks volumes for Sir Humphry's theory. I have seen Davy himself support it. opinion of his scientific knowledge as well I have seen him exhibit experiments (conclusive as of his manipulative skill. Thus we find experiments) explanatory of it; and I have Faraday in these first few weeks of his heard him apply these experiments to the scientific career plunged at once into the theory, and explain and enforce them in (to me) most difficult of experimental investigaan irresistible manner. Conviction, sir, struck | tions. He was not daunted by severe and

In another letter written shortly after he says:

“I cannot see any subject except chloride to write on. Be not surprised, my dear A., at the ardour with which I have embraced this new

unlooked-for explosions which tore open though perhaps not really the most important his hand and cut his eye, and in which the is a good delivery; for though to all true philmore experienced Davy received some se-osophers science and nature will have charms vere wounds; he prosecuted his experi- innumerable in every dress, yet I am sorry to ments with this terrible compound, esti- say that the generality of mankind cannet mating its specific gravity, and ascertaining accompany us for one short hour unless the its chemical properties. Not only did he path is strewed with flowers. In order, therework with devotion in the prosecution of fore, to gain the attention of an audience (and Davy's original researches, but he began to the want of it?) it is necessary to pay some what can be more disagreeable to a lecturer than consider the best means of bringing the attention to the manner of expression. The results of scientific investigation before the utterance should not be rapid and hurried and minds of others, and in some of his letters consequently unintelligible, but slow and delib his remarks on the appliances of experi- erate, conveying ideas with ease from the lect mental lectures show, as Dr. Bence Jones urer, and infusing them with clearness and remarks, the keenness of his observation, readiness into the minds of the audience. A the abundance of his ideas, and the sound- lecturer should endeavour by all means to obtain ness of his judgment. No one who is fa- a facility of utterance, and the power of clothmiliar with Faraday's mode of lecturing, ing his thoughts and ideas in language smooth and with the excessive pains which,* even and harmonious and at the same time simple to the last, he used to take about every and easy. If his periods are long, or obscure, minute detail of his experimental illustra-or incomplete, they give rise to a degree of tions, can fail to observe that the ideas labour in the minds of the hearers which quickly causes lassitude, indifference, and even diswhich he consistently carried out were gust. mainly formed in early life. Thus in 1813, when twenty-one, he writes on this subject to Abbott:

"When an experimental lecture is to be delivered, and apparatus is to be exhibited, some kind of order should be observed in the arrange ment of them on the lecture table. Every particular part illustrative of the lecture should be in view, no one thing should hide another from the audience, nor should anything stand in the way of or obstruct the lecturer. They should be so placed, too, as to produce a kind of uniformity in appearance. No one part should appear naked and another crowded, unless some particular reason exists and makes it necessary to be so. At the same time, the whole should be so arranged as to keep one operation from interfering with another. If the lecture table appears crowded, if the lecturer (hid by his apparatus) is invisible, if things appear crooked, or aside, or unequal, or if some are out of sight, and this without any particular reason, the lecturer is considered (and with reason too) as an awkward contriver and a bungler."

His description of his ideal lecturer is so perfect and gives so true a picture of Faraday himself, as well as of his early easy style, that we cannot resist the temptation of a quo ation, especially as the reputation which Faraday gained in the world in general as a lecturer was as great as that which he possessed amongst men of science as an original investigator.

"The most prominent requisite to a lecturer,

We know as a fact that Faraday always tried the stopper of every bottle he was to use, before the lecture began, so that no delay might be caused from the stopper being fixed when the reagent was wanted during the lecture.

"A lecturer should appear easy and collected, undaunted and unconcerned, his thoughts about him, and his mind clear and free for the contemplation and description of his subject. His action should not be hasty and violent, but slow, changes of the posture of the body, in order to easy, and natural, consisting principally in avoid the air of stiffness or sameness that would otherwise be unavoidable. His whole behaviour should evince respect for his audience, and he should in no case forget that he is in their pres

ence.

"He should exert his utmost effort to gain completely the mind and attention of his audiideas to the end of the subject. He should ence, and irresistibly to make them join in his endeavour to raise their interest at the commencement of the lecture, and by a series of imperceptible gradations, unnoticed by the company, keep it alive as long as the subject demands it. No breaks or digressions fore.gn to the purpose should have a place in the should be allowed to the audience in which their circumstances of the evening; no opportunity minds could wander from the subject, or return to inattention and carelessness. A flame should be lighted at the commencement and kept alive with unremitting splendour to the end..

"An experimental lecturer should attend very carefully to the choice he may make of experiments for the illustration of his subject. They should be important, as they respect the science they are applied to, yet clear, and such as may easily and generally be understood. They should rather approach to simplicity, and explain the established principles of the subject, than be elaborate, and apply to minute phenomena only.

"Let your experiments apply to the subjects you elucidate; do not introduce those which are not to the point.