Michael Faraday, Man of Science

In Short

This biography traces the life of Michael Faraday from his modest origins as an artisan's errand boy to his standing as one of the nineteenth century's most celebrated natural philosophers. It documents his early struggles for self-education, his pivotal appointment under Sir Humphry Davy at the Royal Institution, and his landmark laboratory discoveries, particularly in electricity and chemistry. Beyond his technical achievements, the work portrays a devoted teacher and public servant whose lifelong commitment to truth, intellectual humility, and unselfish devotion to scientific inquiry earned him the enduring admiration of both his peers and the public.

The Story

The narrative opens with Michael Faraday’s humble beginnings in London. The son of a smith, young Michael begins his working life as an errand boy before being bound as an apprentice to a kindly bookbinder, Mr. Riebau. Surrounded by books, the youth develops an insatiable appetite for scientific reading and natural philosophy. His passion is nurtured by his master’s indulgence and the generosity of his elder brother, who provides the shillings required for Michael to attend local science lectures. A decisive turning point arrives when Faraday obtains tickets to hear Sir Humphry Davy speak at the Royal Institution. Boundlessly enthusiastic, Faraday binds his meticulous lecture notes and sends them to Davy, securing an appointment as a laboratory assistant.

Faraday’s early career is marked by intense learning and rigorous travel. Accompanying Davy on a grand tour of continental Europe, Faraday broadens his horizons, recording vivid descriptions of foreign landscapes while dutifully serving the senior scientist. Upon returning to England, Faraday quickly proves himself indispensable in the laboratory. He aids Davy in developing the miner's safety lamp and soon launches his own independent chemical investigations. Among his early triumphs is the successful liquefaction of chlorine gas under pressure, a breakthrough that solidifies his reputation as a rising talent, even as it occasionally brings explosive physical danger to his eyes.

As the years progress, Faraday’s center of existence becomes the Royal Institution, where he eventually resides with his wife, Sarah. His research turns toward the fundamental forces of nature, culminating in monumental discoveries regarding electricity, magnetism, and light. He dispels outdated theories of electrical fluids, laying the groundwork for modern physical field theory. Alongside his research, Faraday commits himself to public service and education. He serves for three decades as a scientific adviser to Trinity House, inspecting lighthouses along the coast, and establishes the celebrated Christmas Juvenile Lectures to inspire young minds. Throughout his rise, he steadfastly declines public honors, high commercial compensation, and the Presidency of the Royal Society, preferring to remain "plain Michael Faraday." In his final years, facing a gradual decline in memory and physical strength, he steps down from his beloved lecture theatre with serene acceptance, leaving behind a profound scientific legacy.

How It Unfolds

The trade of bookbinding Starting as an errand boy, young Michael enters an apprenticeship with Mr. Riebau, gaining direct access to scientific volumes that fire his imagination. He spends his spare moments reading, writing letters to friends, and using small gifts of money from his brother to attend local philosophy lectures.

Into the great world Faraday secures a position as laboratory assistant to Sir Humphry Davy and joins him on an extended tour across Europe. His journals record his awe at mountainous landscapes and new cultures, alongside a growing awareness of his own lack of formal education, which he vows to remedy through constant study.

Discoveries in the laboratory Back at the Royal Institution, Faraday undertakes independent research in chemistry and physics, successfully liquefying chlorine gas despite dangerous laboratory explosions. His reputation grows rapidly, leading to major breakthroughs in electrical science and his long-term appointment as a scientific adviser to Trinity House.

Teaching and public truth Faraday becomes a master lecturer, captivating adult audiences and children alike with vivid demonstrations and clear, accessible explanations. He speaks out forcefully against widespread public credulity regarding spiritualist table-turning, urging the rising generation to test every claim against rigorous scientific investigation.

The final retirement As age impairs his memory and physical endurance, Faraday delivers a touching farewell to his duties at the Royal Institution, using brief handwritten notes to guide his exit. He spends his remaining days in peaceful contentment, surrounded by the affectionate regard of colleagues and the global scientific community.

The People

• Michael Faraday: The central subject of the biography, who desires only to uncover the truths of nature through patient experiment. He overcomes poverty and lack of formal schooling to become a world-renowned scientist, remaining remarkably modest, deeply religious, and unworldly to the end.
• Sir Humphry Davy: The eminent chemist who discovers Faraday's potential, appointing him as his assistant and guiding his early career. Though a mentor whose safety lamp discovery Faraday aids, their relationship is occasionally strained by Davy's pride and disputed scientific claims.
• Mr. Riebau: Faraday's kind and considerate master during his bookbinding apprenticeship. He supports young Michael's intellectual curiosity by allowing him time off to attend evening lectures on natural philosophy.
• Sarah Faraday: Faraday's beloved wife, who offers unwavering companionship and domestic happiness throughout his long, demanding career at the Royal Institution.
• George Barnard: Faraday's brother-in-law, an artist who spends many years around the Faraday household, sharing in high-spirited leisure games, countryside excursions, and artistic conversations.

In Its Own Voice

"The mountainous nature of the country continually put forward new forms and objects, and the landscape changed before the eye more rapidly than the organ could observe it."

Faraday writes this in his journal upon seeing the rugged Devonshire countryside for the first time on his way to Plymouth.

"Here, dear mother, all goes well. I am in perfect health, and almost contented, except with my ignorance, which becomes more visible to me every day, though I endeavour as much as possible to remedy it."

Writing home from Geneva during his European tour with Davy, Faraday expresses his characteristic humility and drive for self-improvement.

"The frogs were very beautiful, lively, vocal, and intelligent, and not at all fearful... It is wonderful how much intelligence all these animals show when they are treated kindly and quietly."

Faraday records these observational thoughts in his diary while walking through a Swiss valley during a summer holiday.

What It's Really About

The book explores the triumph of quiet diligence over social obstacles, demonstrating how unflagging curiosity and moral integrity can overcome humble beginnings. Jerrold presents Faraday’s journey not merely as a sequence of technical discoveries, but as an illustration of how scientific work ought to be conducted: for the love of truth rather than personal gain or social advancement. The biography continually contrasts Faraday’s interior simplicity with his grand scientific achievements, arguing that true greatness lies in intellectual honesty, self-discipline, and a childlike wonder toward the natural world. Underneath the life narrative rests an argument for empirical rigor against popular superstition, showing how a disciplined mind brings clarity to chaotic phenomena.

Why Read It Today

Readers drawn to biographies of quiet resolve and intellectual triumph will find Jerrold’s account deeply satisfying. The narrative moves at a gentle, historical pace, offering an intimate glimpse into nineteenth-century scientific culture, the early history of the Royal Institution, and the daily habits of a true pioneer. It captures the atmosphere of an era when individual experimentalists worked with simple glass tubes, hand-turned velocipedes, and basic chemistry to unlock fundamental natural laws.

While modern readers may find the inclusion of nineteenth-century poetry and Victorian moralizing somewhat deliberate, these period touches add authentic charm to the narrative. What endures is the compelling portrait of Faraday himself—a man who commanded the attention of Europe's top minds yet was happiest conducting tabletop experiments for children, rambling through rural fields, or watching a local blacksmith at his forge. His life stands as a refreshing antidote to self-promotion and commercialized ambition.