The Life and Letters of Faraday

Abstract

IF none but Apelles was fit to paint Alexander, where shall we find a biographer worthy of Faraday? Shortly after his death, many sketches of his character and work appeared, among which that of De la Rive may be specially mentioned. These were succeeded by Tyn-dall's two Friday evening discourses on “Faraday as a Discoverer,” which were afterwards embodied in an admirable little book. But a more complete biography was wanted, and the question was frequently asked, “Who understood him sufficiently well to draw his portrait?” Eventually it was rumoured that the materials had been placed in the hands of Dr. Bence Jones. First there appeared an unusually long obituary notice in the Proceedings of the Royal Society, consisting of little else than a catalogue of the papers published, lectures delivered, reports written and honours won by the great philosopher in each year during half a century; showing that Dr. Jones had a rare collection of interesting documents, so as to whet our appetite for the coming work. Now it is before us—“The Life and Letters of Faraday” in two goodly octavo volumes.

The Life and Letters of Faraday.

By Dr. Bence Jones. Two vols. 8vo. (Longmans, 1869.)