390 Addresses delivered at the Commemoration 



which the most zealous countryman of his own would have awarded 

 him. 



The assembly having testified their interest in the prosperity of the 

 Royal Institution, connecting with it the name of Michael Faraday, 

 Esq., F.R.S., the following address was delivered by that distin- 

 guished cultivator of science : — 



I know no reason why I should be distinguished with this peculiar 

 mark of your favour — a favour so distinct in its character that no 

 one present can mistake it ; for I presume that we have met this 

 evening to honour chemistry as personified by Dr. Priestley. I know 

 no reason why I am selected, except that of the absence of my supe- 

 rior, Mr. Brande, who is not here to represent the Royal Institution. 

 I will, therefore, do my best to thank you for the honour, and say, 

 that as far as we are concerned, the Royal Institution shall endeavour 

 to follow in the path trod by Dr. Priestley, namely, by experiments 

 to advance science and the knowledge of truth. 



I think I may be allowed, on this occasion of meeting to do honour 

 and service to chemistry, to quote Dr. Priestley as an example to be 

 followed in one very important point, — I mean in that freedom of 

 mind, and in that independence of dogma and of preconceived no- 

 tions, by which men are so often bowed down and carried forward 

 from fallacy to fallacy, their eyes not being opened to see what that 

 fallacy is. Dr. Priestley was a most remarkable man for the facility 

 with which he could change his views as he saw nature change be- 

 fore him : and it is delightful to observe in his various papers, espe- 

 cially in the prefatory part of that on the discovery of oxygen, how 

 he points out, with the perfect ingenuousness of a high-minded man, 

 the way in which philosophers should proceed. He begins by stating, 

 for the encouragement of all young philosophers, how many discove- 

 ries in chemistry are made by what we call chance, that is to say, 

 by the observation of facts which result from natural causes working 

 before us ; and how greatly these things are effectual in carrying 

 forward science. And he remarks in a very curious way, but with 

 great truth, that this would be seen very strikingly in those men who 

 are most celebrated for their philosophical acumen, were they to write, 

 not in the synthetical manner, but analytically and ingenuously. He 

 goes on further to say in that paper, that it is wonderful how his 

 mind was bowed down by preconceived notions, and how his eyes 

 were shut at first against perceiving the truths which were attached 

 to the discovery which he had made of oxygen gas. He says he lays 

 all this to prejudice, which not only influences our judgement, but 

 even the perceptions of our senses ; for we receive maxims so strongly 

 for granted, that when they are contradicted by facts we refuse to 

 receive those contradictions ; and the more acute a man is, the more 

 strongly is he bound by the chains of error ; for he only uses his in- 

 genuity to falsify the truth which lies before him. 



I am very anxious at this time to exhort you all, — as I trust you all 

 are pursuers of science, — to attend to these things; for Dr. Priestley 

 made his great discoveries mainly in consequence of his having a mind 



