"A purer, less selfish, more stainless existence, has rarely been witnessed. At last came the voice which the dying alone can hear, and the hand which the living may not see, beckoned him away; and then that noble intellect, awakening from its lethargy, like some sleeper roused from a heavy dream, rose up and passed through the gates of light into the better land, where, doubtless, it is now immersed in the study of grander mysteries than it ever attempted to explore on earth." In closing this preface I have much pleasure in recording my deep indebtedness to Miss Jane Barnard, a niece of the great Professor, and for some two and twenty years a member of his household, for several reminiscences of her uncle; and also for her kindness in allowing me to look through the many interesting manuscripts of Faraday's which are in her possession. WALTER JERROLD. [Illustration: LIBRARY, ROYAL INSTITUTION] CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. PAGE AS CHILD--NEWSBOY AND BOOKBINDER 11 CHAPTER II. THE TURNING POINT 27 CHAPTER III. "HOME THOUGHTS FROM ABROAD" 36 CHAPTER IV. BACK AT WORK 53 CHAPTER V. "SCIENCE WHICH I LOVED" 71 CHAPTER VI. AS TEACHER AND PREACHER 89 CHAPTER VII. OVERWORK--THE END 107 CHAPTER VIII. AS FRIEND AND LECTURER 127 CHAPTER IX. NOTES ON HIS WORK 140 CHAPTER X. ABOUT THE ROYAL INSTITUTION 150 [Illustration] [Illustration] MICHAEL FARADAY. CHAPTER I. AS CHILD--NEWSBOY AND BOOKBINDER. "A virtuous household, though exceeding poor! Pure livers were they all, austere and grave, And fearing God; the very children taught Stern self-respect, a reverence for God's word, And an habitual piety." WORDSWORTH.