income
of more than a thousand pounds; and in 1831 a still greater addition. He
had only to will it to raise in 1832 his professional business income
to 5000L. a year. Indeed double this sum would be a wholly insufficient
estimate of what he might, with ease, have realised annually during the
last thirty years of his life.

While restudying the Experimental Researches with reference to the
present memoir, the conversation with Faraday here alluded to came to
my recollection, and I sought to ascertain the period when the question,
'wealth or science,' had presented itself with such emphasis to his
mind. I fixed upon the year 1831 or 1832, for it seemed beyond the range
of human power to pursue science as he had done during the subsequent
years, and to pursue commercial work at the same time. To test this
conclusion I asked permission to see his accounts, and on my own
responsibility, I will state the result. In 1832, his professional
business income, instead of rising to 5000L., or more, fell from 1090L.
4s. to 155L. 9s. From this it fell with slight oscillations to 92L. in
1837, and to zero in 1838. Between 1839 and 1845, it never, except in
one instance, exceeded 22L.; being for the most part much under this.
The exceptional year referred to was that in which he and Sir Charles
Lyell were engaged by Government to write a report on the Haswell
Colliery explosion, and then his business income rose to 112L. From
the end of 1845 to the day of his death, Faraday's annual professional
business income was exactly zero. Taking the duration of his life into
account, this son of a blacksmith, and apprentice to a bookbinder,
had to decide between a fortune of 150,000L. on the one side, and his
undowered science on the other. He chose the latter, and died a poor
man. But his was the glory of holding aloft among the nations the
scientific name of England for a period of forty years.

The outward and visible signs of fame were also of less account to him
than to most men. He had been loaded with scientific honours from all
parts of the world. Without, I imagine, a dissentient voice, he was
regarded as the prince of the physical investigators of the present age.
The highest scientific position in this country he had, however, never
filled. When the late excellent and lamented Lord Wrottesley resigned
the presidency of the Royal Society, a deputation from the council,
consisting of his Lordship, Mr. Grove, and Mr. Gassiot, waited upo