Michael Faraday.

Michael was the third child ; the other members of the famil y were Elizabeth , Robert , and Margaret . Being poor , the parents of Faraday could not ( if they had wished ) give him more than the most elementary education . Little is known of his school life , ancl we are led to believe that nothing occurred of a remarkable nature to indicate the future scientist . We do know , however , that his home training was of the best character , for both

parents strove to bring up their children in habits of industry and the love of God . School clays were soon over , ancl the boy had to begin his fight with the outside world . He found a situation as errand boy with a Mr . Riebau , in Blandford-street , Manchester-square . His duty was to carry round newspapers to his master ' s customersand many a weary trudge he had in all weathers .

, So faithfully did he perforin this disagreeable duty that , at the end of a year , his master was willing to take him as an apprentice to the bookbinding business , ancl that without any premium . The new apprentice soon took the liberty of looking at the inside as well as the outside of the books put into his hands , and as he read , his mind seems to have been excited to a process of thought and enquiry .

His thirst for knowledge increased daily , and he most earnestly perused the works that came in his way . Among the earliest of these were Mrs . Marcet ' s " Conversations on Chemistry , " ancl the article on " Electricity " in tbe " Encyclopedia Britannica , " ancl others of a like character . These directed his mind into that channel of investigation which has made him the foremost man of his time in that particular pursuit . In the first dawning of his genius he was an experimentalist . He was not

content to believe the statements he read , but must test the results for himself , ancl so , with such apparatus as his own ingenuity could provide , he started on his career as a "practical philosopher . " He himself tell us , "I made such simple experiments in chemistry as could be defrayed in their expense by a few pence per week , and also constructed an electrical machine , first with a glass phial , and afterwards with a real cylinder , as well as other electrical apparatus of a corresponding kind . "

It must not be imagined that performing experiments with such rude apparatus was an easy task . Much patience was required , ancl we doubt not Faraday often found it necessary to " try again . " He did " try again ; " every failure was made a success by repeated effort . Michael hacl that about him which would not allow of his being beaten . There was no disposition to say "that the problem was too difficult . " He was seeking for truth , ancl he meant to find it . Thirsting for knowled he desired to attend some lectures on

ge , natural philosophy , ancl was enabled to hear those of Mr . Tatum , through the kindness of a brother , who supplied the necessary funds out of his small earnings . He took rough notes of the lectures , and afterwards wrote them out carefully , adding sketches of the apparatus used . In this way was cultivated a love of detail , which grew with him , and contributed greatl y to his success . Faraday ' s master took much interest in these scientific tendencies of his

apprentice , and helped him as far as he could . He was fond of speaking with his customers about his doings , and one of these , a Mr . Dance , was so pleased with the lad that he took him to hear the lectures of Sir Humphrey Davy , at the Royal Institution . This was just what Michael wanted , ancl he was not slowat making the best use of his opportunities . He again freel y used his pencil , and afterwards wrote out full notes of the lectures he heard . Soon after this an accident happened which brought about an introduction to the

great chemist . Sir H . Davy was one clay performing experiments with a highl y explosive substance when the vessel broke and so injured Sir Humphrey ' s eye as to prevent him using it for a short time . Consequently , he hacl to seek temporary assistance from outside . Faraday was recommended by his friend , and accepted as writer . He held this oliiue but a few days , and then weni