Fig. 54.
And now, let us give place, as juveniles, to the respect we owe to our elders; and for a time let me address myself to those of our seniors who have honoured me with their presence during these lectures. I wish to claim this moment for the purpose of tendering our thanks to them, and my thanks to you all, for the way in which you have borne the inconvenience that I at first subjected you to. I hope that the insight which you have here gained into some of the laws by which the universe is governed, may be the occasion of some amongst you turning your attention to these subjects; for what study is there more fitted to the mind of man than that of the physical sciences? And what is there more capable of giving him an insight into the actions of those laws, a knowledge of which gives interest to the most trifling phenomenon of nature, and makes the observing student find—
“——tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,
Sermons in stones, and good in everything?”
LECTURE
ON
LIGHT-HOUSE ILLUMINATION—THE ELECTRIC LIGHT.
[Delivered before the Royal Institution on Friday, 9th March, 1860.]
There is no part of my life which gives me more delight than my connection with the Trinity House. The occupation of nations joined together to guide the mariner over the sea, to all a point of great interest, is infinitely more so to those who are concerned in the operations which they carry into effect; and it certainly has astonished me, since I have been connected with the Trinity House, to see how beautifully and how wonderfully shines forth amongst nations at large the desire to do good; and you will not regret having come here to-night, if you follow me in the various attempts which have been made to carry out the great object of guiding in safety all people across the dark and dreary waste of waters. It is wonderful to think how eagerly efforts at improvement are made by the various public bodies—the Trinity House in this country, and Commissions in France and other nations; and whilst the improvements progress, we come to the knowledge of such curious difficulties, and such odd modes of getting over those difficulties, as are not easy to be conceived. I must ask you this evening to follow me from the simplest possible method of giving a sign by means of a light to persons at a distance, to the modes at which we have arrived in the present day; and to consider the difficulties which arise when carrying out these improvements to a practical result, and the extraordinary care which those who have to judge on these points must take in order to guard against the too hasty adoption of some fancied improvement, thus, as has happened in some few cases, doing harm instead of good.
If I try to make you understand these things partly by old models, and partly by those which we have here, it is only that I may the better be enabled to illustrate that which I look forward to as the higher mode of lighting, by means of the electric lamp and the lime light.
