Chronicles the life of James Smithson as a scientist, suspected spy, gambler, radical revolutionary, and philanthropist, telling the story of his remarkable bequest and the controversy it spawned.

Maps: The Journey to Staffaix -- The Grand Tour 1791-1797 x -- 1 Descended from Kings 19 -- 2 Oxford: The Lure of Novelty, 1782-l784 49 -- 3 Staffa: The Cathedral of the Sea, 1784 70 -- 4 London: Science Like Fire, 1784-1788 98 -- 5 Science and Revolution, 1788-1791 125 -- 6 Grand Tour, 1791-1797 151 -- 7 London: Citizen of the World, 1797-1803 193 -- 8 The Hurricane of War, 1803-1807 218 -- 9 Vibrating between Existence and the Tomb, 1807-1810 238 -- 10 London: A New Race of Chemists, 1810-1814 259 -- 11 Paris: Private Vices, Publick Benefits, 1814-1825 271 -- 12 London: The Will, 1825-1829 295 -- 13 America: The Finger of Providence 315 -- Epilogue 1832 343 -- Appendix Genealogy Chart 350.