Some Books of the Week IT is a hundred years
since Michael- Faraday succeeded i obtaining electricity from ordinary magnetism, thus open. the • way for developments whereby electricity for lighting, heating, mechanical ` power," telegraphy, telephony, ehenn processes, and medical and surgical appliances, could readi] be generated. His life story is romantic. The son of a black smith, he began his career as a newsagent's boy, but attendan in his spare time at shilling lectures brought him into toil with Sir Humphry Davy, whose valet, during a Euro, tour, he became. On his return he was made Davy' laboratory assistant at the Royal Institution. His inane, amount of research and successful experiment was carried o not only after early disadvantages in life, but in spite of health in his later years ; and, as Mr. Rollo Appleyard says', A Tribute to Michael Faraday (Constable, 7s. 6d.), he queathed, in addition to his tangible achievement, " character, his teaching, his example, and his ideals, beyon assessment." Mr. Appleyard's book is somewhat sketchy an, loosely constructed. It does not pretend to be -more than centenary appreciation. But, tersely and authoritatively, ' crams the essential facts about Faraday's life, discoveries, an philosophy into a little space.
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