Masterpieces of Science 



never could work from the experiments of others, 

 however clearly described. He knew well that 

 from every experiment issues a kind of radiation, 

 luminous, in different degrees to different minds, 

 and he hardly trusted himself to reason upon an 

 experiment that he had not seen. In the au- 

 tumn of 1831 he began to repeat the experiments 

 with electric currents, which, up to that time, 

 had produced no positive result. And here, for 

 the sake of younger inquirers, if not for the sake 

 of us all, it is worth while to dwell for a moment 

 on a power which Faraday possessed in an extra- 

 ordinary degree. He united vast strength with 

 perfect flexibility. His momentum was that 

 of a river, which combines weight and directness 

 with the ability to yield to the flexures of its bed. 

 The intentness of his vision in any direction did 

 not apparently diminish his power of perception 

 in other directions ; and when he attacked a sub- 

 ject, expecting results, he had the faculty of 

 keeping his mind alert, so that results different 

 from those which he expected should not escape 

 him through pre-occupation. 



He began his experiments "on the induction 

 of electric currents" by composing a helix of two 

 insulated wires, which were wound side by side 

 round the same wooden cylinder. One of these 

 wires he connected with a voltaic battery of ten 

 cells, and the other with a sensitive galvanometer. 

 When connection with the battery was made, 

 and while the current flowed, no effect what- 

 ever was observed at the galvanometer. But 



