130 SCIENCE D* SHORT CHAPTERS. 



of weirs and turn water-wheels at each. Mr. Starr knew 

 better j his scepticism was misinterpreted ; he was taunted 

 with failure and non-fulfilment of the anticipations he had 

 raised, and with the fruitless expenditure of large sums of 

 other people's money. He was a high-minded, honorable, 

 and very sensitive man, suffering already from overworked 

 brain before he went to Birmingham. There he worked again 

 still harder, with further vexation and disappointment, until 

 one morning he was found dead in his bed. Having, during 

 my short acquaintance with him, enjoyed his full confidence 

 in reference to all his investigations, I have no hesitation in 

 affirming that his early death cut short the career of one who 

 otherwise would have largely contributed to the progress of 

 experimental science, and have done honor to his country. 



His martyrdom, for such it was, taught me a useful lesson I 

 then much needed viz. to abstain from entering upon a costly 

 series of physical investigations without being well assured of 

 the means of completing them, and, above all, of being able 

 to afford to fail. 



There are many others who sorely need to be impressed with 

 the same lesson, especially at this moment and in connection 

 with this subject. 



The warning is the most applicable to those who are now 

 misled by a plausible but false analogy. They look at the 

 progress made in other things, the mighty achievements of 

 modern Science, and therefore infer that the electric light 

 even though unsuccessful hitherto may be improved up to 

 practical success, as other things have been. A great fallacy 

 is hidden here. As a matter of fact, the progress made in 

 electric lighting since Mr. Starr's death, in 1846, has been 

 very small indeed. As regards the lamp itself, no progress 

 whatever has been made. I am satisfied that Starr's continu- 

 ous carbon stick, properly managed in a true vacuum, or an 

 atmosphere free from oxygen, carbonic oxide, carbonic acid, 

 or other oxygen compound, is the best that has yet been placed 

 before the public for all purposes where exceptionally intense 

 illumination (as in light-houses) is not demanded.* 



* The burnt card, burned bamboo, and other flimsy incandescent 

 threads now (1882) in vogue, merely represent Starr's preliminary 

 failures prior to his adoption of the hard adamantine stick of retort- 

 carbon, which I suppose will be duly reinvented, patented again, 

 and form the basis of new Limited Companies, when the present 

 have collapsed. 



