Gutenberg Gem: The Chemical History of the Candle

Michael Faraday instituted a tradition (which continues to this day) of giving special Christmas lectures especially for young people at the Royal Institution. The most famous of these lectures were published in 1860 as The Chemical History of the Candle, which is a classic in the history of science, and still accessible and useful to students. Check it out. I hope they have an illustrated version coming soon.