Overcoming handicaps

One day in September, 1791, a boy was born in the heart of London to whom was given the name, Michael Faraday. The father, James Faraday, was a blacksmith, but he was in such feeble health that he could seldom work for a whole day at a time, and sometimes for several weeks was unable to work at all. This meant that he and his wife and their four children had to live on very little and poverty often stared them in the face.

Michael was the third oldest child. In those days education was harder to get than now and most of what he learned was secured at home, and as neither of his parents had much education, Michael soon had to face the world with one of the most serious of handicaps, an almost total lack of education. Near Michael’s home was a little yard known as Spanish Place; here the little fellow spent most of his early years playing marbles and romping around with other children who, like himself, were growing up, as most children of the poor did, without education. James Faraday, though poor and delicate, was a kind father and provided for his family as well as he could, and his wife was industrious and devoted to her four children.

When he reached the age of twelve Michael was apprenticed to a stationer and bookbinder named Mr. George Riebau. One of the lad’s duties was to take around the newspapers which his master loaned to customers, and then later in the day he called for them. On Sunday mornings Michael delivered these newspapers very early and then tried to collect them again before church time, although he did not always succeed, for some people then, as now, did not like to be hurried when reading their papers.

During the days of his apprenticeship Michael worked hard and his hours were long, but he was not unhappy, for Mr. Riebau, his master, was kinder than most employers seem to have been in those days. Evidently his parents were pleased with the way in which he was getting along, for in 1809 his father wrote: “Michael is now learning to be a bookbinder and stationer, and is doing well. He has been the most part of four years out of seven. He has a good master and mistress and he likes his place well. He had it hard for a time at first, but as the old saying goes, he has got the head above water, and there are two other boys under him now.”

Whenever Michael had a spare moment at noon or in the evenings, he read some of the books that he was binding. When he was given the “Encyclopædia Britannica” to bind he eagerly turned over to the place where the subject of electricity was treated and read every word. He was very much interested in this subject and began to make experiments. He made a small electrical machine and although it cost only a few pennies, it afforded him endless amusement and gave him a start along the line where his chief interest lay.

One day he saw an announcement that a Mr. Tatum was to give some lectures on natural philosophy at his own home. The charge for admission was one shilling. Michael was exceedingly anxious to go, but he did not have the money. His brother, Robert, three years older than Michael, was so pleased to find Michael interested in such a subject that he gave him the money, and with eager steps Michael sought out Mr. Tatum’s home at the appointed time. He attended all the lectures and made careful notes as the speaker went on.

One day a customer at the shop where Michael worked asked him to attend four lectures by Sir Humphry Davy at the Royal Institution. This was an unexpected pleasure and Michael sat spell-bound as the scientist talked and then made experiments. One day, soon afterwards, he wrote a letter to Sir Humphry Davy, telling of his great interest in science, and enclosing the notes he had made of Sir Humphry’s lectures. The scientist replied to Michael’s letter saying that he was leaving the city, but would remember him when he returned.

Meanwhile, the lad worked away at his experiments, reading all that he could lay his hands on that dealt with chemistry and what was known then of electricity. He hoped that it would be possible for him to get some position that would give him more time to follow his beloved studies, but nothing offered and very often he spent long hours at the bookbinder’s bench, when in reality his thoughts were elsewhere. One night as he was preparing for bed a loud knock startled him. He looked out of the window and saw a fine carriage with a footman in livery who brought him a note from Sir Humphry Davy, who wished to see him the following morning. We may be sure he slept little that night, and early the next day hastened to see the great chemist. Sir Humphry offered him a position at six dollars a week. It was to help in the work of the laboratory generally and especially to keep the instruments clean and move them to and from the lecture room. He gladly accepted the offer and said good-bye to bookbinding.

This was the turning point in his life. He had made such good use of his time that he was now fairly well educated, and no one to meet him would suspect that he had seen very little of the inside of a school. He joined the City Philosophical Society, which met each week, and he took a keen interest in all that went on in the scientific world. Seven months after his engagement in the laboratory, Sir Humphry Davy decided to travel upon the continent and asked Michael Faraday to accompany him. This was a great opportunity for the young assistant; he had never been more than a few miles away from where he was born and to travel in France, Switzerland, Italy and Germany was a rare treat and a liberal education.

He made such progress with his studies in chemistry that when he returned to England he was promoted to the position of laboratory assistant at the Royal Institution, with a salary of five hundred dollars a year. He delivered a series of six lectures before the City Philosophical Society on chemistry, which aroused much interest. He was continually making experiments, and in this way he made many important discoveries. He found out that many beliefs regarding electricity were quite wrong and he drew attention to them. He wrote to some of the leading scientific magazines and soon the English people realised that a great scientific authority had arisen in their midst.

For twenty years he lectured at the Royal Academy at Woolwich and for all these lectures he made most careful preparation. It was his way never to undertake anything unless he could do it well, and he even took lectures in elocution so that he could make the best use of his voice. He delivered a great many lectures to boys and girls on scientific subjects and he spared himself no pains in order to make the subjects clear. Young people were naturally attracted to him and even if they did not fully understand all he said they certainly enjoyed seeing him perform his experiments.

He became scientific adviser to the government in regard to the erection of lighthouses and buoys around the dangerous coast of Great Britain, and his brilliant lectures on this subject drew great crowds to hear him, among them, Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria, and their children. He published a book entitled “Experimental Researches in Electricity,” which established his reputation as one of the greatest scientists of the world. Concerning this book the famous statesman, William E. Gladstone, wrote: “It is one of the most marvellous monuments of intellectual work; one of the rarest treasure-houses of newly-discovered knowledge, with which the world has ever been enriched.”

By this time Michael’s mother was an old woman, but she was supremely happy to know that Michael was so much thought of and had become so clever. She used to call him “My Michael,” and she so idolised him that Michael, who was now married, said to his wife one day, “Please do not tell my mother of any honours conferred upon me, because it is not good for her.” However, no doubt, in his heart, Michael was glad that he had lived to make his hard-working mother comfortable.

Honours followed in quick succession. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society, a degree conferred only upon very distinguished men; the Cambridge Philosophical Society, the Institution of Civil Engineers, the Institution of British Architects and several leading associations of Scotland made him an honorary member. In addition to this he received signal honours from similar associations in St. Petersburg, Copenhagen, Berlin, Stockholm, Lisbon, Frankfort, Boston, Philadelphia and many other places. His important discoveries set many other men thinking, and it is safe to say that scores of inventions by other men were due in the first place to Michael Faraday’s discoveries.

The British government conferred upon him a pension of three hundred pounds a year for life, which, while it was not large, relieved him from anxiety over money matters. To the end of his life he lived very simply. He was a man of deep religious character and very often preached on the Sabbath with quite as much enthusiasm as he taught science during the week. From being a bookbinder’s errand boy with little or no education, he rose to be one of the greatest and most honoured men of his time.