hes 
200 Faraday as a Discoverer. 
‘Experimental Researches on Electricity.” In 1840, as; 
ready stated, he made his final assault on the contact theor 
from which it never recovered.* He was now feeling the eff 
of the mental strain to which he had been subjected for 
many years, During these years he repeatedly broke ¢ 
His wife alone witnessed the extent of his prostration, 
her loving care we, and the world, are indebted for the 
ment of his presence here so long. He found occasional 
ina theatre. He frequently quitted London and went to Bng 
ton and elsewhere, always choosing a situation which co 
manded a view of the sea, or of some other pleasant 
where he could sit and gaze, and feel the gradual revival off 
faith that | s 
‘‘ Nature never did betray 
The heart that loved her!” 
But very often, for some days after his removal into 
try, he would be unable to do more than sit at a windo 
look out upon the sea and sky. 5 
In 1841, his state became more serious than it had 
before. A published letter to Mr, Richard Taylor, dated Mar 
11, 1843, contains an allusion to his previous cont ‘il 
gressed them. It is, perhaps, right Ghat they should trat 
them, in order to ascertain where they lie. Faraday, 
though he went far toward it, did not push his 
beyond his power of restitution, In 1841, Mrs. 
he went to Switzerland, under the affectionate | 
fit to mingle in society, for conversation was @ pai? 
but let us observe the great man-child when alone. 
the village of Interlachen, enjoying Jungfrau 
times watching the Swiss railes making their nails. B 
a little journal, in which he describes the process 1 ie 
and incidentally throws a luminous beam upon 
“ Aug. 2d, 1841. Clout nail-making goes on here apne 
erably, and is a very neat and pretty operation t0 
* See note, p. 195. 
2 
