“The condition of matter I have dignified by the term Electronic, THE ELECTRONIC STATE. What do you think of that? Am I not a bold man, ignorant as I am, to coin words?”

I am busy just now again on Electro-Magnetism and think I have got hold of a good thing but can’t say; it may be a weed instead of a fish that after all my labour I may at last pull up.

Why, sir, there is every probability that you will soon be able to tax it! Said to William Gladstone, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he asked about the practical worth of electricity.

Magnetic lines of force convey a far better and purer idea than the phrase magnetic current or magnetic flood: it avoids the assumption of a current or of two currents and also of fluids or a fluid, yet conveys a full and useful pictorial idea to the mind.

Speculations? I have none. I am resting on certainties.

A centre of excellence is, by definition, a place where second class people may perform first class work.

But still try, for who knows what is possible?

There is no more open door by which you can enter into the study of natural philosophy than by considering the physical phenomena of a candle.

All are sure in their days except the most wise. He is the wisest philosopher who holds his theory with some doubt.

Why will people go astray when they have this blessed Book to guide them?

I cannot conceive curved lines of force without the conditions of a physical existence in that intermediate space.

Who would not have been laughed at if he had said in 1800 that metals could be extracted from their ores by electricity or that portraits could be drawn by chemistry.

It is right that we should stand by and act on our principles; but not right to hold them in obstinate blindness, or retain them when proved to be erroneous.

The important thing is to know how to take all things quietly.

Lectures which really teach will never be popular; lectures which are popular will never really teach.

I have far more confidence in the one man who works mentally and bodily at a matter than in the six who merely talk about it.

When the contrary magnetic poles were on the same side, there was an effect produced on the polarized ray, and thus magnetic force and light were proved to have relation to each other.

The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all.

Diversification is protection against ignorance. It makes little sense if you know what you are doing.

Avoidable human misery is more often caused not so much by stupidity as by ignorance, particularly our ignorance about ourselves.

The wrongs done to trees, wrongs of every sort, are done in the darkness of ignorance and unbelief, for when the light comes, the heart of the people is always right.

The art of knowing is knowing what to ignore.

The only thing that is more expensive than education is ignorance.

All suffering is caused by ignorance.

But feelings can’t be ignored, no matter how unjust or ungrateful they seem.