FAKADAY. 419 



as the safeguard of his faith. For his investigations 

 so filled his mind as to leave no room for. sceptical 

 questionings, thus shielding from the assaults of philo- 

 sophy the creed of his youth. His religion was con- 

 stitutional and hereditary. It was implied in the 

 eddies of his blood and in the tremors of his brain ; and, 

 however its outward and visible form might have 

 changed, Faraday would still have possessed its elemental 

 constituents awe, reverence, truth, and love. 



It is worth enquiring how so profoundly religious a 

 mind, and so great a teacher, would be likely to regard 

 our present discussions on the subject of education. 

 Faraday would be a ' secularist ' were he now alive. 

 He had no sympathy with those who contemn know- 

 ledge unless it be accompanied by dogma. A lecture 

 delivered before the City Philosophical Society in 1818, 

 when he was twenty-six years of age, expresses the 

 views regarding education which he entertained to the 

 end of his life. c First, then,' he says, ' all theological 

 considerations are banished from the society, and of 

 course from my remarks ; and whatever I may say has 

 no reference to a future state, or to the means which 

 are to be adopted in this world in anticipation of it. 

 Next, I have no intention of substituting anything for 

 religion, but I wish to take that part of human nature 

 which is independent of it. Morality, philosophy, 

 commerce, the various institutions and habits of 

 society, are independent of religion, and may exist 

 either with or without it. They are always the same, 

 and can dwell alike in the breasts of those who, from 

 opinion, are entirely opposed in the set of principles 

 ' they include in the term religion, or in those who have 

 none. 



' To discriminate more closely, if possible, I will 

 observe that we have no right to judge religious 



