lxiv 



" Again and again I tear up my letters, for I write nonsense. I cannot 

 spell or write a line continuously. Whether I shall recover this confu- 

 sion, do not know. I will not write any more. My love to you." 



The Duke of Devonshire at his installation would have the University of 

 Cambridge confer the degree of LL.D. on Faraday. He was also made 

 Knight Commander of the Order of St. Maurice and Lazarus, Italy. 



jEL 71 (1863). 



He made twelve reports to the Trinity House. In February he was again 

 at Dungeness examining a new optic apparatus, and comparing the reflectors 

 with the electric light, and new and old apparatus. He reported on the ob- 

 servations regarding the magneto-electric light, and on a French applica- 

 tion to the Board of Trade about the magneto-electric light. 



To the Registrar of the London University he wrote : — " Many of your 

 recent summonses have brought so vividly to my mind the progress of time 

 in taking from me the power of obeying their call, that I have at last re- 

 solved to ask you to lay before the Senate my desire to relinquish my sta- 

 tion and render up that trust of duty which I can no longer perform with 

 satisfaction either to myself or to others. 



" The position of a Senator is one that should not be held by an inactive 

 man to the exclusion of an active one. It has rejoiced my heart to see the 

 progress of the University and of education under its influence and power ; 

 and that delight I hope to have so long as life shall be spared to me." 



He was made Foreign Associate of the Imperial Academy of Medicine, 

 Paris. 



Mt. 72 (1864). 



Twelve reports were made between January and October to the Trinity 

 House. One was on a new magneto-electric machine ; another on draw- 

 ings, proposals, and estimates for the magneto-electric light at Portland. He 

 made seven examinations of white and red leads, and two examinations of 

 waters from Orfordness and the Fog-gun station, Lundy Island ; and he 

 reported on two 4th-order lights for the River Gambia. 



He replied to an invitation of the Messrs. Davenport : — " I am obliged 

 by your courteous invitation ; but really I have been so disappointed by the 

 manifestations to which my notice has at different times been called, that 

 I am not encouraged to give any more attention to them, and therefore 

 I leave these to which you refer in the hands of the Professors of Legerde- 

 main. If spirit communications, not utterly worthless, should happen to 

 start into activity, I will leave the spirits to find out for themselves how 

 they can move my attention. I am tired of them." 



A few weeks later he replied to another different invitation : — 



"Whenever the spirits can counteract gravity or originate motion, or 

 supply an action due to natural physical force, counteract any such action, — 

 whenever they can pinch or prick me, or affect my sense of feeling or any- 

 other sense, or in any other way act on me without my waiting on them, or, 



