I saw Mr. Faraday for the first time on my return from Marburg in 1850.
I came to the Royal Institution, and sent up my card, with a copy of
the paper which Knoblauch and myself had just completed. He came
down and conversed with me for half an hour. I could not fail to
remark the wonderful play of intellect and kindly feeling exhibited
by his countenance. When he was in good health the question of his
age would never occur to you. In the light and laughter of his eyes
you never thought of his grey hairs. He was then on the point of
publishing one of his papers on Magnecrystallic action, and he had
time to refer in a flattering Note to the memoir I placed in his
hands. I returned to Germany, worked there for nearly another year,
and in June, 1851, came back finally from Berlin to England. Then,
for the first time, and on my way to the meeting of the British
Association, at Ipswich, I met a man who has since made his mark
upon the intellect of his time; who has long been, and who by the
strong law of natural affinity must continue to be, a brother to me.
We were both without definite outlook at the time, needing proper
work, and only anxious to have it to perform. The chairs of Natural
History and of Physics being advertised as vacant in the University
of Toronto, we applied for them, he for the one, I for the other;
but, possibly guided by a prophetic instinct, the University
authorities declined having anything to do with either of us.
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