Faraday, Michael, 1791-1867; Physicists -- Great Britain -- Biography
Letters of his, covering a period of sixteen years, are before me,
each one of which contains some characteristic utterance;--strong, yet
delicate in counsel, joyful in encouragement, and warm in affection.
References which would be pleasant to such of them as still live are
made to Humboldt, Biot, Dumas, Chevreul, Magnus, and Arago. Accident
brought these names prominently forward; but many others would be
required to complete his list of continental friends. He prized the love
and sympathy of men--prized it almost more than the renown which his
science brought him. Nearly a dozen years ago it fell to my lot to
write a review of his 'Experimental Researches' for the 'Philosophical
Magazine.' After he had read it, he took me by the hand, and said,
'Tyndall, the sweetest reward of my work is the sympathy and good will
which it has caused to flow in upon me from all quarters of the world.'
Among his letters I find little sparks of kindness, precious to no one
but myself, but more precious to me than all. He would peep into the
laboratory when he thought me weary, and take me upstairs with him to
rest. And if I happened to be absent, he would leave a little note for
me, couched in this or some other similar form:--'Dear Tyndall,--I was
looking for you, because we were at tea--we have not yet done--will you
come up?' I frequently shared his early dinner; almost always, in fact,
while my lectures were going on. There was no trace of asceticism in his
nature. He preferred the meat and wine of life to its locusts and wild
honey. Never once during an intimacy of fifteen years did he mention
religion to me, save when I drew him on to the subject. He then spoke
to me without hesitation or reluctance; not with any apparent desire to
'improve the occasion,' but to give me such information as I sought.
He believed the human heart to be swayed by a power to which science
or logic opened no approach, and, right or wrong, this faith, held in
perfect tolerance of the faiths of others, strengthened and beautified
his life.
From the letters just referred to, I will select three for publication
here. I choose the first, because it contains a passage revealing the
feelings with which Faraday regarded his vocation, and also because it
contains an allusion which will give pleasure to a friend.
'Royal Institution. [ this is crossed out by Faraday ]
'Ventnor, Isle of Wight, June 28, 1854.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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