352 Mr, Faraday [Feb. 27, 



wise be straight, made them graceful and beautiful. This principle 

 was pointed out as apparently existing in favourite Greek orna- 

 ments. 



Other principles were alluded to as existing in certain orna- 

 ments, as the " wave," " surface attraction," &c., which tended to 

 show, that in order to gain beauty the decorating ornament must be 

 intimately connected with the body decorated. 



In conclusion, one or two otlier points were touched on, from 

 which there was no endeavour made to extract broad principles, 



[C. D.] 



WEEKLY EVENING MEETING, 



Friday, February 27. 



II.R.H. Prince Albert, K.G. D.C.L. F.R.S. Vice-Patron, 

 in the Chair. 



Professor Faraday, D.C.L. F.R.S. 

 On the Conservation of Force, 



Various circumstances induce me at the present moment, to put 

 forth a consideration regarding the conservation of force. I do not 

 suppose that I can utter any truth respecting it, that has not 

 already presented itself to the high and piercing intellects which 

 move within the exalted regions of science ; but the course of my 

 own investigations and views makes me think, that the consider- 

 ation may be of service to those persevering labourers (amongst 

 whom I endeavour to class myself), who, occupied in the comparison 

 of physical ideas with fundamental principles, and continually sus- 

 taining and aiding themselves by experiment and observation, 

 delight to labour for the advance of natural knowledge, and strive 

 to follow it into undiscovered regions. 



There is no question which lies closer to the root of all physical 

 knowledge, than that which inquires whether force can be destroyed 

 or not. The progress of the strict science of modern times has 

 tended more and more to produce the conviction that " force can 

 neither be created nor destroyed ; " and to render daily more 

 manifest the value of the knowledge of that truth in experimental 

 research. To admit, indeed, that force may be destructible or can 

 altogether disappear, would be to admit that matter could be un- 

 created ; for we know matter only by its forces : and though one 

 of these is most commonly referred to, namely gravity, to prove its 

 presence, it is not because gravity has any pretension, or any 



