GENERAL SILENCE. 75 



as well as his achievements, remain unique. In the 

 subjects of electricity, magnetism, electrolysis, heat, elec- 

 tro-magnetism, and thermal-chemistry, he has mastered 

 the knowledge which existed at the time up to its latest 

 developments. He has himself experimented over the 

 whole ground, at every step rendering that definite which 

 was hitherto vague. He has discovered the definite 

 relations between electricity, heat, chemical action, and 

 power ; and by his philosophy he has carried his knowledge 

 of physics to a height from which he can now look down 

 on his contemporaries still struggling to reach higher points 

 in the various branches of physics, but neglecting the 

 connecting ridges which he has traversed, although he now 

 sees these ridges all united in the summit which he has 

 scaled. 



It is not his own doing that he is so absolutely alone in 

 possessing the knowledge. He has recorded at the time 

 the steps by which he has proceeded. These records he 

 has posted in the most exposed places within his reach, and 

 has tried to do more ; and now that he has reached the 

 summit without waiting to explore, he again does his best 

 to reach the ears and eyes of his contemporaries, but 

 without as yet inducing any to follow him. 



The fact that these early papers of Joule were, at the 

 time, apparently ignored by the many eminent physicists 

 then living, though apt to inspire the present reader with a 

 feeling of astonishment, if not of indignation, at the generation 

 for their prejudice and neglect, was, in truth, the highest 

 tribute that could be paid to the greatness of the advance 

 in philosophy which he had made. The present reader is apt 

 to forget, not only that the facts revealed in these papers,, 

 which have become familiar as accepted truths, were 



