1S39 40. INTRODUCTION TO FARADAY. 2 1 7 



Having learned at Birmingham that a college of civil engineers 

 was about to be formed in London, he made inquiries about it, 

 but found it offered no post suitable for him. Other attempts 

 fared no better. Wandering for three days in search of Professor 

 Daniel of King's College, to whom he had an introduction, was 

 at last repaid by the pleasure of a warm and courteous reception. 

 The long desired introduction to Faraday was also enjoyed, and 

 of a visit by appointment to him George says, " Faraday was 

 very kind ; showed me his whole laboratory with labours going 

 on, and talked frankly and kindly ; but to the usual question of 

 something to do, gave the usual round answer, and treated 

 me to a just, but not very cheering animadversion on the 

 Government of this country, which, unlike that of every other 

 civilized country, will give no help to scientific inquiry, and will 

 afford no aid or means of study for young chemists ; all my 

 efforts, therefore, have been unsuccessful. This Fog-Babylon 

 will have none of me, casts me out of her bosom and drives me 

 home again ; so I am not only attracted to you by ties innumer- 

 able, but I am impelled towards you by repulsions innumerable, 

 and with the best grace I can put on the matter, will be quickly 

 back among you." Of his return home by steamer he tells 

 Daniel, " The weather was very pleasant all the way, bright 

 and sunny, and the wind light and in our favour. The company, 

 moreover, was very pleasant ; as I stalked along the quarter- 

 deck I was a little surprised to hear the names of Carlyle, 

 Goethe, and Eichter, passing from mouth to mouth of a group of 

 gentlemen walking there. I drew nearer and heard the French 

 Eevolution talked of, on which I requested leave to join the 

 conversation, and a most interesting one it was. The two chief 

 speakers in it turned out to be Mr. Terrot, the Episcopalian 

 minister of St Paul's, Edinburgh, and Mr. MacDougall, one of the 

 candidates for the Logic Chair, and two very clever fellows they 

 are Terrot is very intelligent and interesting, and exceed- 

 ingly frank and free, so that I was happily situated. He told us 

 a college incident of English discipline, which may amuse you. 

 The Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, of which he was a 

 fellow, was a great stickler for every point of etiquette, college 

 salutation, and the like. One of the graduates, a Yorkshireman. 



