The year 1858 is an interesting one in the life of Michael Faraday; for over forty years he had lived in the Royal Institution, and during that time had risen from being a journeyman bookbinder with a small circle of friends, to being the first of living philosophers, with a fame known all over the world, and with friends wherever his fame had penetrated. In this year, however, while still retaining his connection with the Royal Institution, he removed with his wife to a house at Hampton Court, which had been kindly placed at their disposal by Her Majesty the Queen, at the instigation of the Prince Consort. Faraday writes in April to Prince Albert's secretary acknowledging the extreme kindness of Her Majesty, but expressing himself as doubtful whether to accept or to decline. The house it appeared wanted some repairs which Faraday felt doubtful about; he did not feel that he would be enabled to undertake them, but his mind was soon set at rest on this score, for in the summer of this year, writing to one of his nieces, he says, "The case is settled. The Queen has desired me to dismiss all thoughts of the repairs, as the house is to be put into thorough repair both inside and out. The letter from Sir C. Phipps is most kind." In writing to Sir C. Phipps himself Faraday said, "I find it difficult to write my thanks or express my sense of the gratitude I owe to Her Majesty; first, for the extreme kindness which is offered to me in the use of the house at Hampton Court, but far more for that condescension and consideration which, in respect of personal rest and health, was the moving cause of the offer. I feared that I might not be able properly to accept Her Majesty's most gracious favour. I would not bring myself to decline so honourable an offer, and yet I was constrained carefully to consider whether its acceptance was consistent with my own particular and peculiar circumstances. The enlargement of Her Majesty's favour has removed all difficulty. I accept with deep gratitude, and I hope that you will help me to express fitly to Her Majesty my thanks and feelings on this occasion."
FARADAY'S HOUSE, HAMPTON COURT GREEN.
Faraday's house, standing pleasantly on Hampton Court Green, was, as will be seen from the illustration, a delightful creeper-embowered place, and with its open aspect and surrounding greenery, must have afforded a great and agreeable change to the tired philosopher and his wife. For some years after his removal Faraday made frequent runs up to town to the Institution, where he continued his research work and also delivered many lectures, notably, several courses of the now annual Juvenile Lectures. He was, however, not able to continue for long spells of work, but had to take occasional intervals of rest. He still made frequent reports in connection with Trinity House, but refused to take up any further work. He declined even to prepare his Juvenile Lectures for publication, although other reasons than his own incapacity for sustained work here influenced him, as we see by the following letter:—
"Royal Institution, January 3, 1859.
"Dear Sir,—Many thanks both to you and Mr. Bentley. Mr. Murray made me an unlimited offer like that of Mr. Bentley's many years ago, but for the reasons I am about to give you I had to refuse his kindness. He proposed to take them by shorthand, and so save me trouble, but I knew that would be a thorough failure; even if I cared to give time to the revision of the MS., still the lectures without the experiments and the vivacity of speaking would fall far behind those in the lecture room as to effect. And then I do not desire to give time to them, for money is no temptation to me. In fact, I have always loved science more than money; and because my occupation is almost entirely personal, I cannot afford to get rich.
"Again thanking you and Mr. Bentley,
"I remain, very truly yours,
"M. Faraday."
I have had to insist once or twice upon Faraday's deeply religious nature; it comes out very clearly in some letters written about this time, when he was an old man—having very nearly attained to the threescore years and ten of man's life. In his work and in his conversation he never obtruded his religious convictions, but the innate religious feeling of the man coloured his every relation with his fellow men. In that we have but few direct writings of his on this subject, a grave interest attaches to the following letter to his niece: "I never heard of the saying that separation is the brother of death; I think that it does death an injustice, at least in the mind of the Christian; separation simply implies no re-union; death has to the Christian everything hoped for contained in the idea of re-union. I cannot think that death has to the Christian anything in it that should make it a rare, or other than a constant thought; out of the view of death comes the view of the life beyond the grave, as out of the view of sin (that true and real view which the Holy Spirit alone can give to a man) comes the glorious hope; without the conviction of sin there is no ground of hope to the Christian. As far as he is permitted for the trial of his faith to forget the conviction of sin, he forgets his hope, he forgets the need of Him who became sin or a sin-offering for His people, and overcame death by dying. And though death be repugnant to the flesh, yet where the Spirit is given, to die is gain. What a wonderful transition it is! for, as the apostle says, even whilst having the firstfruits of the Spirit, the people of God groan within themselves, 'waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of the body.' Elsewhere he says, that whilst in the earthly house of this tabernacle we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven.
"It is permitted to the Christian to think of death; he is even represented as praying that God would teach him to number his days. Words are given to him, 'O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?' and the answer is given him, 'Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.' And though the thought of death brings the thought of judgment, which is far above all the trouble that arises from the breaking of mere earthly ties, it also brings to the Christian the thought of Him who died, was judged, and who rose again for the justification of those who believe in Him. Though the fear of death be a great thought, the hope of eternal life is a far greater.... You see I chat now and then with you as if my thoughts were running openly before us on the paper, and so it is. My worldly faculties are slipping away day by day. Happy is it for all of us that the true good lies not in them. As they ebb, may they leave us as little children, trusting in the Father of mercies and accepting His unspeakable gift."
In 1860 Faraday became once more an elder in the Sandemanian Church, and retained that office for nearly four years, when he finally resigned it. The meeting of the British Association was held in this year at Oxford, and Faraday was once more present, as he liked to be, at this scientific gathering. A friend, apropos of this visit, wrote the following jeu d'esprit, which is worth remembering—
"'That P will change to F in the British tongue is true