and these are claims which the world will acknowledge when the glories of victorious battle-fields are utterly forgotten.

CONCLUSION.

1. Ir is a remarkable illustration of the fact that, in art, science, or literature, an Elisha invariably springs up to wear the mantle just fallen from Elijah's shoulders, that the present Professor of Chemistry at the Royal Institution, Michael Faraday, derived from Davy the inspiration of his fine and philosophic genius. Faraday (born in 1794) was the son of a poor blacksmith; received but the rudiments of a meagre education; was apprenticed to a bookbinder, and remained confined to the trade until he had reached his twenty-second year. A love of chemical science, however, had already manifested itself; and with an old bottle, and similar rude materials, he had contrived an electrical machine, which worked successfully. To this, and other scientific ingenuities, his master, on one occasion, called the attention of a customer named Dance, who, surprised at the lad's attainments, and admiring his perseverance, took him to hear the last four lectures delivered at the Royal Institution by Sir Humphry Davy. I took notes,' says Faraday, in a letter to Dr. Paris, and afterwards wrote them out more fairly in a quarto volume. My desire to escape from trade, which I thought vicious and selfish, and to enter into the service of science, which I imagined made its pursuers amiable and liberal, induced me at last to take the bold and simple step of writing to Sir Humphry Davy, expressing my wishes, and a hope that, if an opportunity came in his way, he would favour my views. At the same time, I sent the notes I had taken at his lectures.' Sir Humphry replied in kind and encouraging words; and early in the following year (1813) sent for his young correspondent, informing him that the situation of assistant in the Laboratory of the Royal Institution was vacant. At the same time,' says Faraday, 'that he thus gratified my desires as to scientific employment, he still advised me

260

PROFESSOR FARADAY.

not to give up the prospects I had before me, telling me that science was a harsh mistress, and, in a pecuniary point of view, but poorly rewarding those who devoted themselves to her service. He smiled at my notion of the superior moral feeling of philosophic men, and said he would leave me to the experience of a few years to set me right on the matter. Finally, through his good efforts, I went to the Royal Institution, early in March 1813, as assistant in the Laboratory; and early in October of the same year went with him abroad, as his assistant in experiments and in writing.'

2. Faraday returned to his post in the Institution in 1815, to succeed, in due time (1834), to Sir Humphry's professorial chair. His reputation is world-wide as a lecturer of singular eloquence, as a philosopher of the subtlest powers of analysis, and the most astonishing originality of conception. Meanwhile,' says Mr. Craik, 'his splendid discoveries in electrical chemistry and the contiguous regions of physical science-and the singular combination, in all his views and speculations and methods of procedure, of the most patient vigilance in examination, and the most self-denying caution in forming his conclusions, with the highest originality and boldness-have placed him, by universal recognition, in the first rank of the modern cultivators of physical science. But all this renown has changed nothing of the noble and beautiful nature of the man. It is impossible even for a stranger, seeing him only in public, not to be attracted and charmed by the unsophisticated simplicity and sunny brightness of his whole demeanour; and he is as much the object of affectionate regard with all who know him in private life as he is the pride of his country and the admiration of the whole scientific world.'

3. But a score of volumes of ampler dimensions than the present might easily be filled with examples of men who have attained eminence or excellence by working with a purpose, by adopting one favourite pursuit, and concentrating all their powers upon its successful development. poleon boasted that to every man of talent he had

thrown open a career; but neither talent nor genius, neither brilliancy of imagination nor accuracy of judgment, can supply the place of resolute perseverance. A purposeless man is blown to and fro by the passing gusts of every fancy. However stately the ship and smooth the waters, disaster awaits her, unless a steady hand is at the helm. Let the young student, then, take heed of the examples presented in these pages, and, from the outset, choose a special path in life, to be followed up with all his heart and soul and mind and strength. Let him toil - with a purpose-and he will find his reward in the infinite pleasure such toil must necessarily originate. Let him remember that work is the manifest destiny of the human mind, and the object and fulfilment of a good man's life; ever keeping before him, as his rule of conduct, the fine old monkish homily, Laborare est orare!-'Work is Prayer!'

INDEX.