The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-15

The Macmillan Company has added a
new volume to its Century Science Sc
ries in Michael Faraday: His Life and
Work" by Prof. Silvanus P. Thomp-
son, F. R. S. Shortly after the death
of F'araday, in 1867, three biographies
of him appeared. The Life and Let
tiers of Faraday," by DR.. Bence Jones,
secretary of the Royal Institution.
which was issued in 1868, has long been
out of print. "Faraday as a Discover
er," by Prof. Tyndall was issued the
same year, and is also now exhausted
DR.. Gladstone published in 1872 a vol
ume called Michael Faraday," which
was rich in "reminiscences and in its an
probation of the religious and moral
side of his character; this, too, is out
OF print. Although other briefer biog-
raphles exist, there is room for the ac-
count which Prof. Thompson has writ
ten of the life and labors of the man
whose influence upon the century in
winch he lived was so great. For forty
years he was beyond all question the
greatest scientific expositor of his time.
Throughout almost the whole of that
time his original reasearches in physics
eSAAt NAiANAy III ClCNll pCtty, were extend
ing the boundaries of knowledge and
laying the foundations not only for the
great developments of electrical engin-
eering of the last twenty years. but
for those still greater developments in
the theories of electricity, magnetism
and light, which are every year being
extended.
Faraday's scientific researches are
divided into three periods. The first,
LASTING 70 .
miscellaneous and in some respects
preliminary activity; the second from
1881 to the end of 1889, was the period of
7 the classical experimental researches
in electricity; the third, from 1874.
when his health permitted a return to
work, down to 1860, covered the com
plet1on of the experimental researches
in electricity, the discovery of the rela-
lions between light and magnetism. and
that OF diamagnetism. AS the foun-
der OF the science of magnetic electri-
city, Faraday must long remain fig
ure of commanding interest not only
to experts, but to the great world of
people who daily and nightly enjoy the
fruits of his researches and force of
scientific imagination.
Though scientist, Faraday re-
manned all his life in intimate connec-
ton with the obscure and primitive
religious sect of the Classics or Sande-
manians. and to this side of his life
one of the most interesting chapters
| is devoted AS a boy he had attended
divine worship with his family in the
Sandemanian church; in the year of
his marriage he formally Joined the
| communion.
The browning event of his life in 1S4C
| was his election as an elder in the
church. Among his new duties was the
exhortation of the brethren at the
weekday evening meetings, and, de-
llghtful lecturer as Faraday was, he
seems TO have been a dull enough
preacher. His mental organization
made it possible for him to erect an alb
solute barrier between his science and
MS religion, and to spend his life ir
analyzing, testing and weighing truths
IN one department. while at the same
Tune refusing to apply the same TESTING
and 1nquirfng processes in another de-
partment. To him the Bible was the
only and sufficient guide for the soul
and he never permitted any question OF
! revision of its absolute authority. OIL
attempted to form any connected ideas
as to the method or nature of operation
OF the divine government of the physi.
cal world, in which he had such {
Whole-souled belief. Yet it would b,
olfflcult to find a more honest, kind
earnest, unselflsh soul than that O.
Michael F'araday.
Although gsi1ltenaed as a text bool
for systematic home reading by pupil.
in the lower grades, Our Country.
Flag and the Flags of Foreign Coun.
tries, will be found a valuable little
publication by the adult, for it con.
talns much useful information, togeth.
er with numerous excellent illustrations
OF fags, some of which are colored
After detailed account of the stages
| through which our national ensign
passed, the official flags of the country
the great seal of the United States
American national songs and "Tht
man without country are treated ir
turn; then come chapters on ancient
standards and banners, enblems
! symbols, the cross, the flags Of for.
eign nations, signalling by flags, United
States weather bureau signals, salutes
and the flags of foreign nations an6
sovereign states, arranged alphabet.
cally and with descriptive text and
j colored plates. AS win be gathered
from this brief description, "Our Coun.
try's Flag" is full Of romantic sugges-
ton and the material of culture 1t is
by Edward s. Holden, LII. D., and is
published in Appleton's Home read
ing" series. Cd. Appleton e Coz.
i The 1S9S-'99 edition of ''Where to Ed.
ucate" is now ready for distribution
This is essentially a reference book
containing condensed information OF
more than 5000 colleges and private
schools in the United States, 1t is
edited by Grace Powers Thomas, who
has had wide experience in educational
work. Mr.. Arthur Gilman, the well
known author and educator Of Cam
bridge, writes an introduction on 1.-THE
Private School" and Frederick Law
renee Knowles, editor of Cap and
4 Gown" contributes d treatise on the
ever-popular subject, How to teach
English" The book is of convenient
size, illustrated, handsomely bound in
cloth, and is published by the new
house of Brown & Co., 37S Boylston
street, Boston.
THE Key of the Holy House: A Ro-
nance Of Old Antwerp" by Albert
Lee, has been published by Appleton
g. Co., in their Town and Country Lii
brary. The story is divided between
Antwerp and London, and is laid in the
time Of the Alva, the Prince of Orange
and Queen Elizabeth. A more stirring
period could scarcely have been chos-
en-. The fearful inquisition stalks
through the pages, religion and patri-
otism combining to form the atmo-
sphere and background in and against
which the hero and his sweetheart
Spanish soldiers Of fortune and spies OF
! the inquisition, the cruel duke and the
great English queen move. There is
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the interest is unflagging.
The Harvard University Catalogue
189S-'99, is a portly volume of nearly
700 pages, containing an encyclopedia
array Of information concerning every
department OF this enormous educa-
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rent academic year is followed by q