360 THE KOYAL INSTITUTION. [CHAP. VI. 



On September 13 he wrote in the Laboratory Book 

 this verbal picture of his laboratory : 



Objects mucli wanted in the laboratory of the Royal 

 Institution: Cleanliness, neatness, and regularity. 



The laboratory must be cleaned every morning when 

 operations are going on before ten o'clock. 



It is the business of "W. Payne l to do this, and it is the 

 duty of Mr. E. Davy to see that it is done and to take care 

 of and keep in order the apparatus. 



There must be in the laboratory pen, ink, paper, and 

 wafers, and these must not be kept in the slovenly manner 

 in which they usually are kept. I am now writing with a 

 pen and ink such as was never used in any other place. 



There are wanting small graduated glass tubes blown 

 here and measured to ten grains of mercury. 



There are wanting four new stopcocks fitted to our air- 

 pump. 



There are wanting twelve green glass retorts. 



There are wanting most of the common metallic and 

 saline solutions, such as acetate of copper, nitrate of 

 silver, nitrate of barytes most of these made in the 

 laboratory. - 



All the wine-glasses should be cleaned. 



And, as all operation ceases at six o'clock in the evening, 

 there is plenty of time for getting things in order before 

 night ; but if they are not got into order the same night, 

 they must be by ten o'clock the next day. 



The laboratory is constantly in a state of dirt and con- 

 fusion. 



There must be a roller with a coarse towel for washing 

 the hands and a basin of water and soap, and every week 

 at least a whole morning must be devoted to the inspection 

 and ordering of the voltaic battery. 



For Thursday i.e. to-morrow the experiments in the 



1 The predecessor of Mr. Faraday. 



