On this page
-
Text (2)
-
March 17j 186G .J The Leader andSaturday...
-
A LECTUKE BY TA11ADAY. fpHERE are few ¦ ...
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
-
-
Transcript
-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Convocation* I N The Present Day The Pam...
Convocation settle points of ritual , conduct , discipline , and doctrine for the members of the Church , if it can . The less Jhe ^ Chxirch insists upon what she considers-her abstract right the . better ; tUe more likely she is to be in sympathy with the nation generally , and to bring 1 some at least of the Trinitarian dissenters within her pale . In matters of vital importance we do not think she has ^ much reason ; oa the whole , to complain of the civil legislature though everything- may not have gone to her wish . She is most strongly , though indirectly , represented in the House of Commons ,- and is likely to be , at any rate , for many a long year to come , despite the new Reform Bill . Her bishops , though of legal appointment , have . been of late thorough sons of the Church , strengthening her alike by their exertions and their general liberality . They are neither bishops of a falling Church , nor appointed by those who wish her to fall . Every effort has been made to extend the influence of the Church of England In the colonies , and we think that on the whole she conld not make out a long list of real grievances .
The pamphlet before us closes with a passage from Bacon , taken from his tractate on " The Pacification of the Church , " too long to -quote . Where E : liza . 13 : etii and James were concerned , Bacon ' s opinions are to be taken " cum grano . " In his tractate on ¦ " Church Controversies" it will he found that he speaks strongly against " synods gathered for the ordinary government of the Church ; " and even in the tractate first referred to he speaks very freely of" " Convocation being restrained under certain political circumstances , clearly making their meetings not so much a matter of abstract right , as of expedience under certain conditions . "
March 17j 186g .J The Leader Andsaturday...
March 17 j 186 G . J The Leader andSaturday Analyst . 255
A Lectuke By Ta11aday. Fphere Are Few ¦ ...
A LECTUKE BY TA 11 ADAY . fpHERE are few ¦ things so well worth doing in Iiondon as going X to the Royal Institution to hear a lecture by \ FARADAY ; and so thought no small number of persons on the evening of Friday the 9 th irist ., when the distinguished philosopher had announced his intention of discoursing on Light Houses and the introduction of the Electric Light to ^ iiide the sea wanderers on their way . Friday evenings during the season are famous for a mixture of fashion and science in Albeinarle Street , and scores of carriages and hundreds of pedestrians draw up in front of the imitation Greek facade , and pour a well-dressed throng-through the window-like-aperture which the bad taste of a modern architect has compelled , to perform the functions of a door . Up the branching staircase g-oes , the polished crowd , and , after takin " a turn round the library and looking at a
few curiosities on its tables , they thread a narrow passage , filter themselves through opera-box-looking doors , or corkscrew up an iron staircase , and take refuge in the somewhat garret-like gallery , by which the theatre of the Institution is made more u « rly and capacious than it would otherwise have been . It was evident on-Friday week that ' an unusual interest was excited , for by h ' silfpast eight every , seat was crowded , and new-comers were lucky if they could find space enough for the soles of their feet . A few diagrams occupied the wall behind the lecture table , and on the . latter were glass lanterns for light houses on the latest principle , lamps and reflectors old and new , together with some odds and ends the use of which the uninitiated found it difficult to divine . In front of the lecture table stood the well-known electric lamp ,. with a screen opposite to it on the wall and a large polyzonal lens occupied one corner of the gallery with a monster oil lump behind it . ready to throw its light across the room to a screen over the way . Numbers of Indies in gay
evening dresses contrasted pleasantly with the 'dingy mass of blaok coats , who in plenary belief of their superior wisdom monopolized tho beBt places . Shortly before nine o ' clock a pleasant ; spare , benevolent looking 1 ' mim , with strong though small features , grey lmir parted down the middle , . and ' an-uncommonly' brisk , lively aspect fitted about , now taking-a seat for a moment , now darting noiselessly this way and that , surveying the queer apparatus -beforo him , And giving quick , quiet directions bo the assistunts of the . place . This was the great man of the evening—the accurate , thinker , tho able experimenter , the brilliant , discoverer , of whom England and nil the world nro proud , and who for many yeur * has been connected with the Roynl Institution as the pupil ,, friend , and successor of Sir Humpjtuky Davy , who never did a greater service than when ho helped the poor bookbinder ' s apprentice to leave a mechanical craft , and enter upon that toilsome but honourable career of science which has carried him to the foremost rank of the
intellectual leaders and benefactors of their race . As tho clock strikes nine , the lee . tiu'or takes his place , greeted by applause as general and as loud as a " highly genteel " audience think it decorous to give . A slight nod accepts and puts aside tho pruiso of the folk , nimble hands quickly place a pair of spectacles upon the decided-looking noae , and a clear , singularly impresnivo , nnd rather musical voice , plumps , so to apeak , at once into tho heart of the subject . The manner is conversational , not oratorical ; there is not a particle of effort to attract attention , and yet every one is constrained to listen with all ears , Tho solemn old gentleman , the young student , the pretty girl in the rod opera-cloak , and the demure old dowager , each alike foels like tho wedding gruost m the "Ancient Mariner , " and has no choice but to hoar t ^ o talo . The . lecture was very elementary * perhaps out of compliment to the " Elder Brathron of the Trinity House , " who came to the lceture
in full strength , and , like tho old folks in tho old play , may have anoed to go to school again to learn their A 13 C . But 1 * abm ) ay cannot discuss the commonest event without investing it with a new interest . Somebody apostrophised Tasso us the " prevailing poet , " who believed the wonders that ho sang *; " and Faka . da . tt is
a prevailing lecturer , because he believes the wonders that he tells or shows . In the course of his explanations he produced a common candle , and called attention to its light . We were too far off to see whether it was what Ingoldsby calls a " rascally dip" or a " sound , round ten-penny mould of four to the pound ; " but-the audience immediately regarded it—as , indeed , it was— -an exhibition of one of Nature ' s chief miracles , dealing in a marvellous way . with the imponderable agencies of light and heat . They had all seen candles before with outward eyes , but inany felt for the first time what a candle meant . There was nothing particular in the words which the lecturer used , but a wonderful faculty of communicating to Others the clearness and freshness with which he looked at the commonest
phenomena , and saw in them the exposition of pervading law . This simple-minded earnestness , which is so true a characteristic oi genius , has been one great secret of . Faraday ' s success . Davy warned him that science was an unprofitable trade , but the prospect of much labour and little pay did not discourage the young . philosoplier , and-as his knowledge and fame grew , and a large income might have been easily obtained by applying his skill to the service of the manufacturers , Fabaday , with the great mindedness of a high priest of nature , showed -. himself able to despise wealth , and toiled on , living in a few rooms and upon an income not big enough to purchase dress and cigars for a young man about town . As wealth could not make him her slave , she would gladly have engaged him as a " lion" to exhibit at her -. receptions , and make her dull dinners more endurable : but social vanities were as powerless as
the ' g-litter of gold , and like the hero in the " Bridal of Triermain , ' the knight of knowledge cast aside all temptations , maintained his fidelity , and won his prize . If aristocracy possessed a keener perception of the hollowness of shams and the solid grounds of human dignity , it would learn from such a career , and the presence of such a man , to be ashamed of the artificial-homage which it exacts . Who among the inheritors of lands and titles , bowed in and out of life by a swarm of obsequious menials in and out of plush , will be known to have existed a few years hence—who , in fact , knows or cares for their existence now , except the tradesmen whom they pay or keep waiting for their debts ? But after British titles-have became ' matters of antiquarian curiosity—libii those of Babylon or Niiieveh- —it will be remembered that Mi criArxFAUADAY kindled up an electric light of science destined to guide all future stiidents in ¦
their arduous way . .- . . To go back to ' tlie lecture . Faeaday began by expressing the delight he experienced from his connexion with the Trinity House , arising iron * the cosmopolitan and benevolent co-operation of all nations and government * in the endeavour to promote the safety of the ocean wanderers in ' every clime . The first idea of the lighthouse was the candle in the cottage window , guiding the husband across the water or the pathless moor , and it remained in a rude and imperfect condition up . ton very recent period . On the table was . si reflector , made and used within the . memory of men still living , and which was a great improvement upon the contrivances which preceded it . The thing' looked sonic-thing like-a . pewter punch bowland produced a very feeble effect in concentratingof with tins
, and directing the li ^ ht a s mall lump ; contrasted was the skilfully contrived parabolic reflector of - the Trinity House , which' threw a strong cone-uf light , so as to dazzle the spectators . Passing from reflectors , Dr . Faraday spoke of the apparatus for refraction , and exhibited , by a woll-chosen experiment , the effect oi ' spherical aberration , and the bad performance of large . simple lenses , in consequence of the foci of their central and peripheral portions beiii " sufficiently different to disturb and ' confuse the iiintge . To reinoJy this , Fjieskei , had devised tho polyzonal lenses now in use , in which a number of rings of glass , each liaving its appropriate curvature , wero built up into ono large lens . The action of tins , principle was exhibited by the largo lens in the gallery and by lantei ' rol lanterns for
on the table . In constructing rutting or reflecting lighthouses , it was necessary to pay attention to the dimensions oi tho < : one of rays sent forth , and in practice it was found that one , having a . i angle of less than six degrees , did not produce a - sufficient breadth of light 16 be easily visible at a distance , while one exceedin- fifteen-degrees scattered its rays over too wide a wpaoc , and did not give the requisite intensity . But , in order to produce u cono ' light of these dimensions , it was necessary that the source of the -illumination ¦ nhould be small ; hence tiho rljmit wns noon reached , beyond which tho size of ordinary lamps could not bo incroasod with advantage ; and tho desideratum was to ,, obtain a maximum of intensity . in tho space of a common candle , line was accomplished by tho olectric light ; and , although Voltaic which Jinu not
butteries presented practical uiconvonionoea buun got over , it was found that a largo inagnutQ-cloctwo machine worked by a smal ) steam Ongino hud been able to maintain a atuiitfy illumination during the six months it had boon tnod in the boutn Foreland Light House , and its light hud been repeatedly aeon on tho opposite coast of . Prance . To ^ Uow tho noflOBMity lor an intense lii / ht Dr . Faraday reminded" his audience of tho dark , shadow thrown by tho stoiun issuing from a railway locomotive on a sun-( ihiny day ; and having cast a . concentrated . light trom the electric lamp upon a soroon , he showed how iriHtautunuously it was durkonoa by an artificial cloud made with high prwtiro steam , nnd which xniirht bo taken as an illustration of tho effect of the flea log * ana mists so common near tho const . The time did not permit . any explanation of tho particular moans by which the mugnoto-eleoti 10 light was rendered reliable and convenient , but the and ei . ee soparated with a tfood notion of tho general philosophy o tlie ««*«««» and a « Dr . WTtoihh used to flay " tin * ma ^ o to-oloo rieity < luHorvod to bo called " Faradayioal Electricity , " it u ploaaant to think that
-
-
Citation
-
Leader (1850-1860), March 17, 1860, page 11, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_17031860/page/11/
-