ASSOCIATION WITH DALTON. 2J 



though in reality passing the electricity through a hidden 

 bye wire. They also brought down electricity by kites, and 

 though they took precautions, found it a game not to be 

 trifled with. 



In 1834 their father determined that they should study 

 chemistry under Dalton, who received pupils in the buildings 

 of this Society, 36, George Street, of which he was at the 

 time still president. Dalton required that his pupils should 

 be well grounded in arithmetic and the first book of Euclid 

 before admitting them. Mr. Tappenden accordingly prepared 

 them before he left in 1834, and introduced them to Dalton, 

 who, however, took no notice of him. To their dismay, not 

 to say disgust, at the end of an hour, they had not got 

 through addition. They attended, with some short breaks,, 

 twice a week for one hour, and at the end of two years had 

 just got through arithmetic and the first book of Euclid 

 when Dalton suggested that they should proceed to the 

 higher mathematics. This they declined to do, and were 

 only commencing chemistry when Dalton had a severe 

 attack of paralysis, April 18th, 1837, which cut short their 

 periodical visits for instruction. 



Thus commenced and ended Joule's first association 

 with this Society. His early connection with the great 

 master who had founded the science of Modern Chemistry 

 must be considered one of the happiest circumstances of 

 Joule's life. Although advancing years and weakening 

 powers had diminished the fulness and vigour of Dalton's 

 instruction, still the familiar intercourse with a man 

 so simple yet so profound, successful, and distinguished, 

 must have strengthened Joule's natural bent to observe 

 for himself, and to trust implicitly the conclusions to which 

 he was led by his own observation. Besides which, the 



