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قراءة كتاب Michael Faraday Man of Science
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id="Page_viii" class="x-ebookmaker-pageno" title="[viii]"/> those who had known him personally—on this account I have found it necessary somewhat freely to make use of illustrative quotations. After studying his life, however, the kindliness, nay more, the true brotherhood of the man with all men is the feeling which most firmly clings to us; we do not alone remember the great electrician, experimentalist, and lecturer, but we have an ever-present idea of the sterling goodness of the man.
"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.
CONTENTS.
| PAGE | |
| CHAPTER I. | |
| 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 |
CHAPTER I.
As Child—Newsboy and Bookbinder.
Among those of our great men who, born in humble circumstances and unfurnished with the benefits of early education, have yet secured for themselves honourable positions in the history of the world's progress, Michael Faraday holds a remarkable place. Born the son of a journeyman blacksmith, Michael yet gained for himself a conspicuous position among the very first scientists of his day, and at the time of his death was acknowledged as one of the leading philosophers—electricians—chemists—of this nineteenth century.
Our interest in a great man makes us always interested also in his family—we become anxious to know who and what he was apart from that which has made him great. Who were his parents? from where did they come? what were they like? what did they do? and a number of similar questions are at once started as soon as we commence considering the lives of our "great and good." In the case of Faraday we have only scanty information as to his family, but thus much we have gleaned:—
During the whole of last century there was living in or near the village of Clapham, in Yorkshire, a family of the name of Faraday. Between the years 1708 and 1730 the Clapham parish register shows us that "Richard ffaraday, stonemason, tiler, and separatist," recorded the births of ten children, and it is probable that he had in his large family yet another son, Robert. Whether, however, Robert was his son or only his nephew is a matter of doubt, but it is known of him that he married Elizabeth Dean, the possessor of a small though comfortable house called Clapham Wood Hall, and that he was the father of ten children, one of whom, James, was born in 1761, and became the father of Michael Faraday.
Robert and Elizabeth