Faraday/Disraeli anecdote

[David M. Baurac]

I am a writer trying to track down a story that goes something like this:

One day, Benjamin Disraeli is touring Michael Faraday's laboratory. After
hearing about Faraday's work on electromagnetic induction, he says," This
is all very interesting, Dr. Faraday, but what good is it?"

Faraday replies, "I don't know, but in a hundred years you'll be taxing it."

Can anyone throw any light on this story? Is it true in substance if not
necessarily in detail? Is there a source for it?

I'd appreciate any information, either posted on the newsgroup or sent email.

Thanks in advance.

Dave Baurac

[Keith Refson]

David M. Baurac (dave_...@qmgate.anl.gov) wrote:

: One day, Benjamin Disraeli is touring Michael Faraday's laboratory. After

: hearing about Faraday's work on electromagnetic induction, he says," This
: is all very interesting, Dr. Faraday, but what good is it?"

: Faraday replies, "I don't know, but in a hundred years you'll be taxing it."

According to my book of scientific quotations, the visitor was
Gladstone, as Chancellor Of The Exchequer, and the quote

"One day Sir, you may tax it."

and the source is R.A. Gregory, "Discovery" 1918 (Macmillan, London)
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