1891.] Tlie Faraday Centenary, 473 



12, Ware Street, Cambridge, 

 Mas«., U.S.A. 

 Sib, 



I feel highly honored by my election as an Honorary Member of 

 the Royal Institution of Great Britain, and gratefully accept the privi- 

 leges it implies. It would give me the greatest pleasure to be able to 

 take part in the celebration of the Centenary of the Birth of Michael 

 Faraday, but I am at present in such poor health that an ocean 

 voyage would be impracticable. Another year I earnestly hope I may 

 be able to visit the " old country " once more, and shall look forward 

 with satisfaction to be received as a member where I have often been 

 a guest. Indeed I have very tender associations with the Royal 

 Institution ; for it was there, as a young man on my first visit to 

 England, that I made the acquaintance of Faraday through the intro- 

 duction of a mutual friend. That acquaintance was to me an inspira- 

 tion, and I look back to it as one of the most important influences in 

 my education. I remember distinctly that after one of his lectures 

 to a juvenile audience, when I could not restrain my enthusiasm, and 

 expressed my admiration at his power of commanding attention, and 

 my surprise at the simplicity of the means employed, the great 

 master replied, " That is the whole secret of interesting these young 

 people. I always use the simplest means, but I never leave a point 

 not illustrated. If I mention the force of gravitation I take up a stone 

 and let it drop." At this distance of time I cannot be sure that I 

 quote his exact language, but the illustration and the lesson I could 

 not forget ; and to this lesson more than to any one thing I owe whatever 

 success I have had as a teacher of physical science. You can then 

 well understand how glad I should be to pay honor to the memory 

 of Michael Faraday not only as the consummate investigator, but also 

 as the great teacher and noble man. 



I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant, 



JosiAH P. COOKB. 



New Haven, Conn., U.S.A., 

 May 28, 1891. 

 Sir, 



Your communication announcing the high honor conferred on me 

 by the Royal Institution in electing me Honorary Member on the 

 occasion of the Faraday Centenary was received early this week. It 

 is a special pleasure to have my name associated with those of the 

 Members of the Royal Institution in whose laboratory Faraday, one 

 of the greatest of philosophers, carried on a large part of his work, 

 and to have it thus honored in connection with the Centenary of the 

 birth of the illustrious Faraday. 



I regret to have to say that the state of my health will not permit 

 of my visiting London to attend the proposed lectures of Lord 

 Rayleigh and Professor Dewar. 



I have the honour to be your obedient servant. 



Jambs D. Dana. 



