Nor deem the irrevocable past As wholly wasted, wholly vain, If, rising on its wrecks, at last To something nobler we attain." LONGFELLOW. The Royal Institution, which for so many years was "home" to Michael Faraday, must ever remain intimately associated with his name. It is not a hundred years since it was founded, yet its history is the history of Sir Humphry Davy, Michael Faraday, and John Tyndall--or perhaps it would be more correct to say that its history is in a large measure a history of experimental research during the century. Before regarding the Institution as it is especially connected with the life-story of Michael Faraday, it may be well to just glance at its origin. Early in the year 1799 a party of noblemen and gentlemen met at the house of Sir Joseph Banks for the purpose of forming themselves, at the suggestion of Count Rumford, into a "Society for bettering the condition of the poor." Count Rumford and his friends were most anxious for the success of their undertaking; and having once made a start did not remain idle, but in January, 1800, succeeded in having their Society incorporated by Royal Charter. The Society started perhaps on a somewhat narrower basis than that on which it now stands; its original object was that it should be "an institution for diffusing the knowledge, and facilitating the general introduction of useful mechanical inventions and improvements; and for teaching by courses of philosophical lectures and experiments, the application of science to the common purposes of life." In a guide to London published in the early part of the present century, No. 21, Albemarle Street is thus referred to: "Here is also the Society's house for the encouragement of improvements in arts and manufactures, or the Royal Institution. The front of this house is barricaded by double windows, to prevent the entrance of cold in winter and heat in summer. Here is a room for experimental dinners, and a kitchen fitted up on the late Count Rumford's plan. Adjoining this is a large workshop, in which a number of coppersmiths, braziers, etc., are employed, and over this a large room for the reception of such models of machinery as may be presented to the Institution." It has been said that chemistry dates one of its chief epochs from the foundation of the Royal Institution laboratory. The large building in Albemarle Street cannot be mistaken, for there are along the front of it fourteen great fluted Corinthian columns which give a striking appearance to the premises. These columns were built on to the face of the building in 1838, at a cost of five hundred pounds, by Mr. Lewis Vulliamy. [Illustration: _From photo by_] ROYAL INSTITUTION, ALBEMARLE STREET. [_H. Dixon & Son_.]