Michael Faraday: Third Edition, with Portrait — John Shaqi
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
"_Tuesday, July 20th._--After dinner I set off on a ramble to
Melincourt, a waterfall on the north side of the valley, and about six
miles from our inn. Here I got a little damsel for my guide who could
not speak a word of English. We, however, talked together all the way
to the fall, though neither knew what the other said. I was delighted
with her burst of pleasure as, on turning a corner, she first showed me
the waterfall. Whilst I was admiring the scene, my little Welsh damsel
was busy running about, even under the stream, gathering strawberries.
On returning from the fall I gave her a shilling that I might enjoy
her pleasure: she curtsied, and I perceived her delight. She again ran
before me back to the village, but wished to step aside every now and
then to pull strawberries. Every bramble she carefully moved out of the
way, and ventured her bare feet to try stony paths, that she might find
the safest for mine. I observed her as she ran before me, when she met
a village companion, open her hand to show her prize, but without any
stoppage, word, or other motion. When we returned to the village I bade
her good-night, and she bade me farewell, both by her actions and, I
have no doubt, her language too."
In a letter which Mr. Abel, the Director of the Chemical Department of
the War Establishment, has sent me, occur the following remarks:--
"Early in 1849 I was appointed, partly through the kind recommendation
of Faraday, to instruct the senior cadets and a class of artillery
officers in the Arsenal, in practical chemistry. On the occasion of
my first attendance at Woolwich, when, having just reached manhood, I
was about to deliver my first lecture as a recognized teacher, I was
naturally nervous, and was therefore dismayed when on entering the
class-room I perceived Faraday, who, having come to Woolwich, as usual,
to prepare for his next morning's lecture at the Military Academy, had
been prompted by his kindly feelings to lend me the support of his
presence upon my first appearance among his old pupils. In a moment
Faraday put me completely at my ease; he greeted me heartily, saying,
'Well, Abel, I have come to see whether I can assist you;' and suiting
action to word, he bustled about, persisting in helping me in the
arrangement of my lecture-tables,--and at the close of my demonstration
he followed me from pupil to pupil, aiding each in his first attempt
at manipulation, and evidently enjoying most heartily the self-imposed
duty of assistant to his young _protégé_."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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