shadow of britain

Chapter 309 This is not the best of times, nor is it the worst of times
In the laboratory of the Royal Society, Faraday was sitting in front of the experimental table as usual, using pliers to patiently wrap the insulated copper wires to be used in future experiments on the wooden stick bit by bit.

He is no longer the little apprentice who helped carry the bag next to Sir Humphry Davy. Now, Faraday, who is the director of the Royal Society Laboratory, actually no longer has to do such basic and trivial work. This simple work is completely possible. Leave it to your apprentices.

But as long as he is not busy at work, he will still do the details of these experiments personally.

Counting the time, it has been another 20 years since he became Sir David's assistant at the age of 20. The rigorous treatment of every aspect of the experiment has been integrated into his blood.His behavior that surprised people who first met Faraday was just an ordinary habit in his life.

Faraday skillfully wound the copper wire. After an unknown amount of time, he finally wound up the last knot. He put down the pliers and pointed the copper wire at the light-transmitting window and took a look.

It was still as flawless as ever, with every insulated wire stuck close to each other.

A satisfied smile appeared on Faraday's gentle face. He was as personable, kind, elegant and humble as ever. He was still the same Michael Faraday who could attract the respect and admiration of ladies from all walks of life in London.

Suddenly, Faraday's vision changed focus. Perhaps he was too absorbed in it just now. Only then did he realize that there was a man standing behind the copper wire.A young electromagnetic researcher who was equally modest in his scientific attitude - Mr. Arthur Hastings.

Faraday sat on a stool and leaned on the experimental table with one hand and asked with a smile: "When did you come?"

Arthur thought for a while and replied vaguely: "Not long ago, I just arrived."

"Arthur, you, you! It's like this every time."

Faraday took off his gloves and stood up and said: "I have said it many times. You can come to the Royal Society to see me at any time, but you are too polite, so polite that you are even a little reserved. But maybe this is how you can communicate with Wheatstone. Sir, the reason for making friends is that you are both introverts, so you can understand each other? But logically speaking, you should not be so introverted. You are a Scotland Yard police officer. Can an introvert also do the job of a police officer well? "

When Arthur heard this, he smiled cheerfully: "I don't think my personality can be summed up by simple introversion or extroversion. Whether I am an extrovert or an introvert is uncertain. Mr. Faraday, police work is actually related to you. Your job is no different. Are you an introvert?"

Faraday was puzzled: "How do you say this?"

Arthur said: "When you discover the truth that God has covered with a curtain, you can work without sleep and food for several weeks without thinking about anything in the middle, acting like the most introverted person. But when you really When you discover the truth, you are willing to happily stand on the podium and announce your new discovery to everyone. Whether they are men, women, old people or children, nobles or civilians, as long as they want to figure out the problem, you will be patient. Explain it to them, once, twice, three times, until they understand it. At this time, you behave like the most extroverted person. That's why I would say that the job you are engaged in and the police work are actually the same. the same."

Faraday laughed loudly when he heard this and said: "Okay, now I know why you can be a good policeman. No matter you are extroverted or introverted, as long as you have this kind of eloquence, what job can you not do well? Having said that, Don’t you really think about coming to the Royal Society to give a lecture? Even one lecture will do. I believe there will be many audiences willing to come and listen to you talk about your story.”

Arthur raised his hand and patted his bandaged arm. He smiled bitterly and said, "Mr. Faraday, do you think I am in a suitable state to give a lecture?"

Faraday then remembered that Arthur had just experienced a hard battle last week. He could not help but blame him a little: "Although I shouldn't dictate your life. But Arthur, next time something like this happens, don't go there. You still You are very young and have a bright future. You can discover many mysteries hidden by God for the world, and there is still a lot of fun in your life.

You can die for many things, but dying in the heat of a moment is a foolish act.Think about your job. You run around and work every day just to let the people of London live a few more lives, but now you have done this kind of thing yourself.Arthur, I'm sorry, I may have said it too harshly, and you may think that I am old-fashioned and stubborn, but I really hope that you can value your life more. "

Of course Arthur agreed with Faraday's words, and he naturally did not consider committing his life to the duel platform.

However, in view of Faraday's integrity, Arthur decided to try not to mention the insider trading behind the duel to him.

Arthur smiled and patted his arm. He nodded and agreed, "Even if you don't tell me, I won't do this kind of thing again. To tell you the truth, it really hurts."

Faraday was also amused by Arthur's reaction. He waved his hand and said, "That's all. As long as you're fine, I heard many ladies and ladies who came to the lecture tell me that you were so powerful on the duel stage that day. In the theater, Everything was full of smoke, and thunder and lightning were flashing everywhere. While they were still shocked by the duel, you began to touch the keys with your bloody fingertips again. They all sweated for you, but unexpectedly the theater lights turned on. When the show started, it was a pianist from Poland who appeared on the stage. What should I say, Arthur, if you can put the energy of conceiving stage performances into research, you will definitely be able to make many things far better than me. of achievement."

Hearing this, Arthur just smiled and denied: "On the contrary, Mr. Faraday, if you had not chosen science when you were young but decided to choreograph stage plays, then all the major theaters in London would be showing your new plays. However, In that case, my friends Mr. Dumas, Mr. Dickens and Mr. Disraeli would be very pitiful.

They wrote bitterly for many years, but one was wanted by the French government and the other had to work two or three jobs a day to support himself.As for the last one, the debut novel attracted a lot of criticism from the entire British literary world, and it almost caused insanity due to the overwhelming pressure.If you had chosen to go down the path of a playwright, your play would have undoubtedly been the straw that broke the camel's back.I'm pretty sure Bethlem Royal Hospital will have three more mentally ill patients as a result. "

Faraday waved his hand and said: "Arthur, please stop complimenting me. I know Mr. Dumas, and his talent is far beyond what I can match. In addition, he is also a studious person like you. In order to write In the novel, I often go to Gresham College to ask professors for scientific questions. It is an honor for me to help him. And compared with you, when I was young, I was really too ordinary. I am not a very ordinary person. For geniuses like you, I am not smart. If I am better than others, it is that I love science, so all the encounters I have had have been turned into good fortunes."

Arthur took the tea cup from the hands of the apprentice, thanked him, and immediately asked: "I rarely heard you mention your things before. But you said you were not smart, and I think you are being too modest. Lifetime Countless achievements Before his death, Sir David said personally that the greatest discovery in his life was not the elements potassium, sodium, calcium, strontium, barium, and iodine, nor was it writing "Principles of Chemical Philosophy" and being elected to the Royal President of the Society, I am very lucky to have discovered you.”

When Faraday heard his mentor's name, the hand holding the tea cup trembled imperceptibly.

His feelings for David were a little complicated, so much so that they couldn't be summed up by simple respect or resentment.

On the one hand, David had been jealous of the talent of his outstanding disciple for a long time. When he knew that Faraday was falsely accused of academic plagiarism, he chose to sit on the sidelines and even made some insidious remarks intentionally or unintentionally. Refers to Faraday's misconduct.If Faraday's wife hadn't been supporting him during the most difficult time, perhaps it was Faraday who was sent to the lunatic asylum.

The grudge between the master and the apprentice lasted for a long time. It was not until Sir David let go in his later years and left the words of affirmation for Faraday before his death that the 28-year complicated story between the master and the apprentice was finally drawn. A seemingly perfect ending.

Seeing that Faraday remained silent, Arthur just asked softly: "Although it is impolite to inquire about such things, would you like to talk about Sir David? When I officially engaged in scientific research, he had already died of illness in Geneva. But I It's really hard to imagine him doing something like that to you. Sir David's impression on society has always been positive.

During the Napoleonic Wars, there was a shortage of food in the country, so he put down his work and set up an agricultural chemistry course, hoping to use his knowledge to help farmers increase the yield of food per mu.In order to improve the dirty environment of the tannery, he spent another five years improving tanning technology.Not to mention his Davy lamp that saved the lives of countless miners.How could he..."

Faraday held the tea cup, the wind blew through his side hair, and a look of reminiscence appeared on his face.

He smiled gently: "Arthur, it's nothing. We all know that people are imperfect. As Lord Byron's famous saying says - love for the sake of love, is a god. Love for the sake of being loved, He is a human being. Maybe Sir David once went too far in some things, but he has always been a great man in my mind. I am able to reach today step by step, and everything is inseparable from his teaching and guidance.

Whether it was lectures at the Royal Society or electrolytic chemistry, I was the shadow that followed Sir David every step of the way.He...taught me a lot, both in science and why we are human.I know that there are many people in Britain who are fighting for me. They feel that Sir David is too harsh and too cold towards me.

But what they don’t understand is that I don’t hate Sir David, I respect him very much. That was the case at any time, 20 years ago, and it is still the case today, 20 years later.

You may have heard me mention that my family background was not good. My father was a blacksmith, and the shop he worked in was near the Elephant and Castle, which is still there.If you have time, you can take the time to go there and have a look. It is an old shop that is almost a century old.The storefront is not big, the tool table has never been tidy, and the furnace bellows is not strong enough. My father and the shop owner complained many times. The shop owner always said that he would replace it next month, but it has been 40 or [-] years and they are still using it. Looking at that creaky old antique. "

Speaking of his poor family, usually people would only feel pain, but Faraday had a happy smile on his face.

"You also know that if a person is born in a poor family in London, especially if he is a naughty boy, half of his legs will already be on the wrong path from the time he learns to walk. I also stole iron when I was a child. , stealing toys and other jobs. Once, my father caught me stealing something.

He seriously called me in front of me and said to me: "Michael, although we are poor, we don't want dirty things."We have hands, feet, and an honest and hard-working heart.You can't go on like this. I don't expect you to become a decent gentleman sitting in a carriage, but I hope you can become an upright and strong person.Michael, my dear son, you know what?Your mother and I are very worried about you.We feared the day we would see our son hanging on the gallows at Tyburn.Promise me not to continue doing that, okay?If you want toys, dad can buy them for you. '

After my father said this, he hugged my head and burst into tears.I cried too, very sadly.I told my father that I would never do those things again and I vowed to be an upright person.From that day on, whenever I do anything, I must first ask myself whether I can live up to my own conscience and whether I can live up to my father and mother.

Instead of asking my father for a toy, I asked him for a book.My father kept his promise and bought me a book the next day, which cost him a full shilling and a half.

I remember that the book was bought from an old bookstore. It was a popular science magazine with peeling covers.But although the magazine was very old, I was completely obsessed with it. It was that book that made me know that there are so many magical things in the world.

Not long after, I took the initiative to find a job as a newspaper delivery boy at George Leiber Bookstore. There was no salary and it was completely voluntary.Since Mr. Leiber was a regular customer of my father's and took great care of his business, I wanted to be able to repay him.Mr. Leiber recognized my work very much. He not only allowed me to read the reading materials in the store for free, but also promoted me to a tuition-free apprentice.

I worked at Reber Bookstore for seven years, and during those seven years I read almost all the books in the store."Elevation of Understanding" by Isaac Watts taught me how to redeem myself, and "Chemistry Chat" written by Ms. Jane Marcy is my indispensable bedtime reading every day.

After my apprenticeship ended, I was confused and didn't know what to do.It was at this time that I met Sir David. I attended many of his lectures and took up three hundred pages of notes.And when I asked him for help on something I didn't understand, he always gave me friendly feedback.

At that time, I was just a penniless boy, but Sir David patiently explained to me as if he were his own student.So, when I heard that Sir David was unfortunately visually impaired and in urgent need of an assistant, I applied without hesitation.Sir David did not reject me because I only had a primary school education, but directly recommended me to the Royal Society without any scruples, and I officially became a chemical assistant of the Royal Society.

Since then, I followed him around Europe, absorbing nutrients from him like a sponge, and he taught me without reservation.Although some unpleasant things did happen along the way. Sir David's wife didn't like me and treated me as a servant. She didn't allow me to ride in the carriage or eat at the same table, but so what?I am lucky enough to be able to study with Sir David.

It was through Sir David that I was able to enter the Royal Society, get to know many well-known European scientists, and understand what the forefront of world research is like.I am very grateful to him for giving me this opportunity to embrace the science I love.From a teacher's perspective, Sir David has done all he can.I don't hate him, no matter what he did, I respect and love him as always.

It really pained me when Sir David did what he did.I said to my wife: 'Dear Sarah, I am so miserable that I am going crazy. '

But my wife gently hugged me and kissed my forehead. She said to me: "I would rather you be like a child and get hurt because of innocence, than like a villain who gets hurt and deal with everything." People are fortified. '

This sentence reminds me of the oath I made to my father many years ago, to do things that are worthy of your own conscience.I am grateful to anyone who has helped me. I am willing to use my insignificant life to repay their help to me. I want to be worthy of my conscience.

Since then, I have gradually figured it out and got out of the strange circle in my heart.The sun is still so bright and science is still so wonderful.Two months later, when I demonstrated the rotation experiment of a current-carrying wire under the influence of the earth's magnetic field, the person who gave me the biggest applause in the venue was the person whom I was rumored to have plagiarized—Professor Ollerston.The rumors proved self-evident, and I believe that this is the best reward God has given me for my act of conscience. "

When Arthur heard this, he couldn't help but take a deep breath and nodded: "Mr. Faraday, now I can understand you. It's not without reason that you have so many supporters. Your nobility is not because of any research results." , or it is an honor, but your sincere heart. I am ashamed to say that I can’t even forgive Mr. Bertrand who shot me. And you, if Sir David does this, you can forgive him. , is there anything else you can’t forgive?”

(End of this chapter)