Days of Winter Holiday Trivia: Day 21

Happy Solstice one and all! It's the first day of Winter to those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, but it's the first day of Summer to residents of the Southern Hemisphere.

Now on to the question for Day 21.

Flame, whether in the form of the hearth fire or candles, has a long association with the cold winter days and nights. A scientist once said of flame: "You have the glittering beauty of gold and silver, and the still higher lustre of jewels, like the ruby and diamond; but none of these rival the brilliancy and beauty of flame."

Now, you might think it odd that I invoke a scientist when discussing a spiritual observance. However, I do not believe that the "materialist insights" of science can destroy wonder or cheapen awe in natural phenomenon. In fact, I believe the opposite is true. And, as far as I can tell, the scientist I quoted felt likewise. He founded the Christmas Lectures at Royal Institution in London in the mid 1820s. The Lectures' purpose was to enlighten children and encourage them to pursue the sciences. He believed in this purpose so strongly that he himself gave the Christmas Lectures every year for three and a half decades. Your question today:

What is the name of the pioneer of electricity and magnetism who delivered multiple Christmas Lectures, including one on why a candle burns?  

Do you have an answer to submit? See the notes below for details on how to participate in my 25 Days of Winter Holiday Trivia (and maybe win a gift card)!


Contest Notes:

Remember, my 25 Days of Winter Holiday Trivia is an actual contest. If you want to participate, all you have to do is send me your answer to each question I've posted (and for which I have not yet posted the answer). I'll start posting answers on Wednesday, but will likely only go through the first week of trivia. So you still have time to go back through the posted questions and rack up some points.

Points? Yes! The three folks who rack up the most points in my trivia game will receive a gift card!

If you want to participate, simply message me your answers. Don't post in the comments unless you don't mind sharing your work. (Just DM me on Twitter, private message me on FB, or use the contact info on this blog to email me).