Michael Faraday: Third Edition, with PortraitGladstone, J. H. (John Hall)
Science
Michael Faraday: Third Edition, with Portrait
Gladstone, J. H. (John Hall)
Faraday, Michael, 1791-1867
In revising the former, I have added some further particulars about
Faraday, especially in regard to "his method of working;" and an
engraving from a photograph by Watkins, which best recalls to my
recollection the features and the usual expression of the genial
philosopher.
CONTENTS.
SECT. PAGE
I.--THE STORY OF HIS LIFE 1
II.--STUDY OF HIS CHARACTER 60
III.--FRUITS OF HIS EXPERIENCE 94
IV.--HIS METHOD OF WORKING 123
V.--THE VALUE OF HIS DISCOVERIES 146
SUPPLEMENTARY PORTRAITS 167
APPENDIX:--LIST OF HONORARY FELLOWSHIPS, ETC. 173
INDEX 176
MICHAEL FARADAY.
SECTION I.
THE STORY OF HIS LIFE.
At the beginning of this century, in the neighbourhood of Manchester
Square, London, there was an inquisitive boy running about, playing
at marbles, and minding his baby-sister. He lived in Jacob's Well
Mews, close by, and was learning the three R's at a common day-school.
Few passers-by would have noticed him, and none certainly would have
imagined that this boy, as he grew up, was to achieve the truest
success in life, and to die honoured by the great, the wise, and the
good. Yet so it was; and to tell the story of his life, to trace the
sources of this success, and to depict some of the noble results of his
work, are the objects of this biographical sketch.
It was not at Jacob's Well Mews, but in Newington Butts, that the
boy had been born, on September 22, 1791, and his parents, James and
Margaret Faraday, had given this, their third child, the unusual name
of Michael. The father was a journeyman blacksmith, a skilful workman
who, in spite of poverty and feeble health, strove to bring up his
children in habits of industry and the love of God.
Of course young Michael must soon do something for his living. There
happened to be a bookseller's shop in Blandford Street, a few doors
from the entrance to the Mews, kept by a Mr. Riebau, an intelligent
man, who is said to have had a leaning to astrology; and there he
went as errand boy when thirteen years old. Many a weary walk he
had, carrying round newspapers to his master's customers; but he did
his work faithfully; and so, after a twelvemonth, the bookseller was
willing to take him as an apprentice, and that without a premium.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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