FAKADAY. 405 



at one moment he wishes that his flesh might melt and 

 that he might become nothing ; at another he is in- 

 toxicated with hope. The impetuosity of his character 

 was then unchastened by the discipline to which it was 

 subjected in after years. The very strength of his 

 passion proved for a time a bar to its advance, suggest- 

 ing, as it did, to the conscientious mind of Miss Barnard, 

 doubts of her capability to return it with adequate force. 

 But they met again and again, and at each successive 

 meeting he found his heaven clearer, until at length he 

 was able to say, ' Not a moment's alloy of this evening's 

 happiness occurred. Everything was delightful to the 

 last moment of my stay with my companion, because 

 she was so.' The turbulence of doubt subsided, and a 

 calm and elevating confidence took its place. ' What 

 can I call myself,' he writes to her in a subsequent 

 letter, ' to convey most perfectly my affection and love 

 for you ? Can I or can truth say more than that for 

 this world T am yours ? ' Assuredly he made his pro- 

 fession good, and no fairer light falls upon his character 

 than that which reveals his relations to his wife. Never, 

 I believe, existed a manlier, purer, steadier love. Like 

 a burning diamond, it continued to shed, for six-and- 

 forty years, its white and smokeless glow. 



Faraday was married on June 12, 1821 ; and up to 

 this date Davy appears throughout as his friend. Soon 

 afterwards, however, disunion occurred between them, 

 which, while it lasted, must have given Faraday intense 

 pain. It is impossible to doubt the honesty of conviction 

 with which this subject has been treated by Dr. Bence 

 Jones, and there may be facts known to him, but not ap- 

 pearing in these volumes, which justify his opinion that 

 Davy in those days had become jealous of Faraday. This, 

 which is the prevalent belief, is also reproduced in an 

 excellent article in the March number of 'Fraser'a 



