Sept. 19, 1872] 



NATURE 



411 



the English language was being delivered, the lecturer 

 mentioned as a common vulgarism the habit of using 

 " don't " in the third person singular, and cited, as an in- 

 stance, " He don't pay his debts." Faraday, who was 

 sitting in his usual place to the right of the lecturer, im- 

 mediately exclaimed aloud, " That's very wrong !" 



A very striking story was related to Dr. Gladstone by 

 Cyrus Field. It is a sequel to the very circumstance 

 that Dr. Tyndall has chosen as an example of Faraday's 

 wonderful insight into nature, so like "a divining power." 

 When Mr. Field was making the preliminary arrange- 

 mcn'.s for that great enterprise with which his name will 

 always be associated, he sought Faraday's advice on the 

 electrical questions involved in a transatlantic cable. 

 Faraday told him that he doubted the possibility of 

 getting a message across the Atlantic. Mr. Field saw that 

 this fatal objection must be settled at once, and begged 

 Faraday to make the necessary experiments, offering to pay 

 him properly for his services. The philosopher, however, 

 declined all remuneration, but worked away at the ques- 

 tion, and presently reported to Mr. Field — '' It can be 

 done, but you will not get an instantaneous message." 

 '■• How long will it take?" was the next inquiry. "Oh ! 

 perhaps a second." " Well, that's quick enough for me," 

 was the conclusion of the American ; and the enterprise 

 was proceeded with. This is an important incident, for 

 not only does it show the readiness with which Faraday, 

 when appealed to, freely lent himself to aid any'scientific 

 work, but it also indicates the confidence with which he 

 applied the results of the laboratory to the grandest 

 practical operations. 



There are many other parts of Dr. Gladstone's memoir 

 that we have marked for quotation, but our space will 

 not alloiv us to do justice to the book by extracts. With 

 pleasure we refer our readers to the volume itself, which 

 is distinguished throughout by the modesty and self-for- 

 getfulness of its author, its earnest tone, and the entire 

 absence of all technicalities. 



Dr. Gladstone will, however, permit us to indulge in a 

 little friendly criticism on the arrangement of his mate- 

 rials. The memoir is divided into five parts — first, 

 " the story of Faraday'^ life " is told us ; then comes 

 a " study of his character ;" after which we have " the 

 fruits of his experience," followed by "his method of 

 working;" and in the last section we are shown "the 

 value of his discoveries. ' With all deference to the rea- 

 sons — no doubt well considered — which induced Dr. 

 Gladstone to arrange his memoir thus, we venture to 

 think that such a division is inartistic, and at first sight 

 apt to repel a thoughtful mind. For is it not a slight 

 upon the intelligence of his leaders if an author pre- 

 sumes they cannot draw the study of a man's character 

 nor "the fruits of his experience " from " the story of his 

 life." Moreover, after having read the first part, which 

 every one must agree is admirably done, we come upon 

 a collection of incidents in Faraday's life, and ane;dotes 

 illustrating his char.^cter, that lose much of their force, by 

 being massed together for a predetermined effect. It is the 

 very spontaneousness and unobtrusiveness of the words 

 and actions of a noble character that constitute their 

 real claim to our admiration. And therefore we think it 

 woidd have been far better if the author had woven into 

 the hfe of Faraday the numerous incidents he has col- 



lected, rather than have let them lose their charm by a 

 process of classification. 



But if the arrangement is, in our humble opinion, not 

 quite perfect, it certainly is the only blemish we can find in 

 the work. It is a biography that will be read with interest 

 by every intelligent person, and can be thoroughly en- 

 joyed by those who are quite ignorant of science. It is a 

 capital book for the youth of the present day, and among 

 many of them we trust it will arouse a noble enthusiasm. 



Now let us turn from the book to the man. Our readers 

 do not need us to remind them of the history of Faraday, 

 a history, which viewed in the grand achievements of his 

 life, is so simple as to be almost sublime. Everyone 

 knows that from a bookbinder's apprentice he lifted him- 

 self to the highest position in the scientific world. Here 

 we may remark that we doubt whether a truly heroic 

 nature has ever been quite covered up by the crowd of 

 humanity. A great soul is a hero anywhere, and v/ill win 

 the recognition and often the worship of mankind, in 

 spite of every obstacle. Faraday was an example of this. 

 For the first twenty years of his life who knew him ? 

 What was his residence but a mere number in a back 

 street .' But before his death who did not know him ? 

 Every scientific society had laid a tribute of admiration 

 at his feet, and he received letters inscribed to " Professor 

 Faraday, member of all Academies of Science, London." 



As bis fame grew, and it became possible for him to 

 make his name profitable, and realise thereby a con- 

 siderable fortune, he permitted no selfish consideration to 

 influence his career. Promptly rejecting that income 

 which came from the sacrifice of his investigations, he 

 obeyed the voice that said to him, " Wisdom is the prin- 

 cipal thing, therefore get wisdom." So for fifty years one 

 lofty idea animated his thoughts and sustained his inde- 

 fatigable labour. His life became the ideas of what a 

 philosopher's life should be, written only in the imperish- 

 able work he has done. Accepting no reward for his 

 labours, declining any title or elevation of rank, seeking 

 no public applause, living and dying in retirement and 

 comparative poverty, Faraday consecrated himself to his 

 work, and freely left to the world the magnificent revela- 

 tions of a genius devoted to Nature. This surely is the 

 life of a hero : noble devotion combined with utter un- 

 selfishness, the characteristics of a Cromwell, a Bruce, or 

 a Garibaldi. 



Though Faraday lived in retirement, and spent most 01 

 his hours in the laboratory, few men have passed a 

 happier lifetime. No doubt the orderly and sustained 

 simplicity of his daily life was one cause of the perpetual 

 gladness of his heart. He confined his thoughts chiefly 

 to his work and his home, and he regulated his life in the 

 most methodical and natural manner. This may be seen 

 from a little incident mentioned to the writer by Mr. 

 Faraday's early friend, the late Mr. Benjamin Abbott. 

 Some thirty years ago Mr. Abbott called to slc Mr. 

 Fataday, whom he had not met for many years. On 

 inquiring at the Ro}al Institution the hall-porter told him 

 that Mr. Faraday was at work, and could not be seen by 

 anyone, indeed, that he dare not even take a visitor's 

 card down to him. On Mr. Abbott's explaining that 

 he was an old friend, the hall-porter suggested, with an 

 obliging politeness which is conspicuous there still, that, as 



