SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



individual as far as his family was concerned, and 

 many are the stories of his shifts and plans to 

 overcome necessity and grasp such education as 

 was attainable in the days of his youth. At one 

 period, about 1800, they were living in Jacob's 

 Well Mews, off Charles Street, Manchester Square. 

 Near by, in Blandford Street, was a small 



Michael Faraday. 



Stationer's and bookbinder's shop, and it was 

 there Michael first started life as an errand-boy. 

 The bookseller was one Riebau, who was so well 

 pleased with the boy that he took him, without 

 premium, at the age of thirteen, as apprentice. 

 This apprenticeship as a bookbinder lasted for eight 

 years. Among his first attractions to the physical 

 studies which eventually passed to the deep learning 

 and originality of thought which characterised 

 him, were some desultory lectures by Mr. Tatum 

 to which he was admitted like others on pa3'ment 

 of one shilling. His first step, however, on the 

 path which led to fame was through the gift of 

 tickets from one of Riebau's customers, for the 

 last four lectures delivered by Davy at the Royal 

 Institution, in the spring of 181 2. He wrote out 

 these lectures and submitted them to Davy, 

 asking at the same time of Sir Humphrey, his help 

 to get out of his trade to some occupation where 

 he could study science. Davy took a fancy to him 

 and employed him, at twenty-five shillings a week, 

 as an assistant at the Royal Institution. Here we 

 will leave him, for his scientific work is so well 

 known that it requires no recapitulation. He died 

 in a small house, placed at his disposal by H.M. 

 the Queen, on Hampton Court Green, Michael 

 Faraday was of slight stature though well built. 

 He was by habit most active, energetic, and of 

 great facial brightness and animation. A remark- 

 able feature was that his head was so long from 

 front to back that he could not wear ready-made 

 hats. He always wore his naturally curly hair 

 parted down the centre. He was a man of strong 



B 



emotions, generous, charitable and sympathetic. 

 His relaxation consisted of occasional reading of 

 light literature and frequent visits to theatres. 

 A curious mixture was he of the logical and the 

 thoughtless. He rarely thought of provision for 

 the future, had an absolute trust that the Lord 

 would provide for the morrow, and was a simple 

 believer that he would be equally cared for after he 

 left this sphere. Fortunately he received, much 

 against his own inclination, a Government pension 

 of £300 a year, which, with his plain style of life 

 and few necessities, amply placed him in comfort 

 to the end of his splendid life. 



Sir Joseph Banks, K.B., P.R.S. (1743-1820). 



The chief picture at the National Portrait Gallery 

 of Sir Joseph Banks is most pleasing. It represents, 

 in oil colours, by Thomas Phillips, R.A., a fine, 

 stout, elderly gentleman of rubicund features. 

 Dressed in a dark grey, rather loosely made frock 

 coat, he is wearing sash and Order of the Bath. 

 The figure is life-size, in sitting position, cut off 

 above the knees. On his right-hand side is 

 a table with a book and MS. lettered " On the 

 Diseases of Whea — , by Sir Jos. Ban — ." His 

 right hand is supported on a walking stick, which 

 passes in front of the lettering of the MS. referred 

 to. His hair is white, and he wears a short collar 

 and white stock with frilled shirt. 



Sir Joseph was the only son of William Banks, 

 of Revesby Abbey, in Lincolnshire, but was born in 



Sir Joseph Banks, K.B. 



Argyle Street, London. His education was care- 

 fully tended ; first he had a private tutor, then to 

 Harrow School, thence to Eton, when thirteen 

 years old. Up to that period all teaching 

 had been most irksome, and grave fears were 

 felt for his future educational prospects. Sud- 

 denly he conceived a passionate fondness for 



