Faraday to Benjamin Abbott   12 and 13 July 1812

Sunday Afternoon July 12th | 1812.

Dear A.

Ceremony is useless in many cases, and sometimes impertinent; now tho’ between you and me it may not be the last; yet, I conceive it is the first, therefore I have banished it at this time. But first let me wish you well, and then I will proceed on to the subject of this letter: Make my respects too if you please to Mr. & Mrs. Abbott, and also to your brother & sister.

I was lately engaged in conversation with a gentleman, who appeared to have a very extensive correspondence: for within the space of half an hour, he drew observations from two letters that he had received not a fortnight before; one was from Sicily; and the other from France. After a while, I adverted to his correspondence; & observed that it must be very interesting, and a source of great pleasure to himself: He immediately affirmed with great enthusiasm that it was one of the purest enjoyments of his life: (observe he like you and your humble servant is a Bachelor.)- much more passed on the subject, but I will not waste your time in recapitulating it; however let me notice, before I cease from praising and recommending epistolary correspondence, that the great Dr. Isaac Watts¹, (great in all the methods respecting the attainment of Learning;) recommends it, as a very effectual method of improving the mind of the person who writes, & the person who receives²; Not to forget too another strong instance in favour of the practice, I will merely call to your mind the correspondence that passed between Lord Chesterfield³ & his Son: In general, I do not approve for the usual tendency of Lord Chesterfields Letters, but I heartily agree with him respecting the utility of a written correspondence ⁴. It, like many other good things can be made to suffer an abuse, but that is no effectual argument against its good effects.

I dear A<->, naturally love a letter, and take as much pleasure in reading one, (when addressed to myself:) and in answering one as in almost any thing else; & this good opinion which I entertain, has not suffered any injury from the circumstances I have noticed above: I also like it for what I fancy to be good reasons, drawn up in my own mind upon the subject: and from those reasons, I have concluded, that letter writing improves; first, the hand writing, secondly, the <_> ... At this moment occurs an instance of my great deficiency in letter writing: I have the Idea I wish to express full in my mind, but have forgot the word that expresses it; a word common enough too: I mean the expression, the delivery, the composition a manner of connecting words. thirdly, it improves the mind, by the reciprocal exchange of knowledge. fourthly, the ideas; it tends I conceive to make the ideas clear and distinct, (Ideas are generated or formed in the head, and I will give you an odd instance as proof). fifthly, it improves the morals: I speak not of the abuse, but the use of Epistolations, (if you will allow me to coin a new word to express myself) and that use I have no doubt, produces other good effects. Now, I do not profess myself perfect in those points, and my deficiency in others connected with the subject you well know; as Grammar &c therefore it follows that I want improving on these points, and what so natural in a disease, as to revert to the remedy that will perform a cure; and more so when the Physic is so pleasant: or to express it in a more logical manner, and consequently more philosophically, MF is deficient in certain points, that he wants to make up. Epistolary writing is one cure for these deficiencies. therefore, MF should practice Epistolary writing.

Seeing that I have thus proved, from both Reason and Logic, and the last is almost equal to Mathematics in certainty; that I should Write Letters; it merely remained to obtain correspondents: Now do not be affronted Mr. Abbott at my looking towards you before you have heard my reasons; I am happy to say that my disposition is somewhat like your own, Philosophically inclined; and of course I wish to improve in that part more than in others: you too have I presume time to spare now & then for half an hour or so: your Ideas too I have ascertained whilst conversing with you, are plentifull, & pretty perfect; I will not say quite, for I have never yet met with a person who had arrived at perfection so great as to conceive new ideas, with exactness & clearness. & your - vide above, where I failed; your composition, or expression, pleases me highly. for these reasons I have presumed to conceive, that the interchange of ideas & Information would not be unpleasant to you, & would be highly gratifying to me. You may if you choose take this [blank in MS] (insert some word here) as a specimen of what mine would be, & return me an answer similar to what you have promised me, before Yes or No.

On looking back I find dear A<_>, that I have filled two pages with very uninteresting matter; and was intending to go on with more, had I not suddenly been stopped by the lower edge of the paper. this circumstance, (happily for you, for I should have put you to sleep else,) has “called back my wand’ring thoughts,” & I will now give you what I at first intended this letter should be wholly composed of, Philosophical Information & Ideas.

I have lately made a few simple galvanic experiments merely to illustrate to my self the first principles of the science. I was going to Knights⁵, to obtain some Nickle [sic], & bethought me, that they had Malleable Zinc: I enquired & bo[u]ght some. - have you seen any yet? The first portion I obtained was in the thinnest pieces possible; observe it in a flattened state, it was as they informed me, thin enough for the Electric Snake [sic], or as I before called it, de Luc’s⁶ Electric column⁷. I obtained it for the purpose of forming discs, with which & copper to make a little battery. the first I completed contained the immense number of seven pair[s] of Plates !!! and of the immense size of half-pence each!!!⁸ I, Sir, my own self, cut out seven discs of the size of half-pennies each! I, Sir, covered them with seven half-pence and I interposed between seven or rather six pieces of paper, soaked in a solution of Muriate of Soda!!! - but laugh no longer Dear A<_> rather wonder at the effects this trivial power produced, it was sufficient to produce the decomposition of the Sulphate of Magnesia; an effect which extremely surprised me, for I did not - could not have any Idea, that the agent was component to the purpose. <-> a thought has struck me - I will tell you, I made the communication between the top & bottom of the pile & the solution with copper wire: do you conceive that it was the copper that decomposed the earthy sulphat?. that part I mean immersed in the solution;<-> that a galvanic effect took place I am sure, for both wires became covered in a short time with bubbles of some gas, & a continued stream of very minute bubbles, app[ear]ing like small particles, rose through the solution from the negative wire. My proof that the Sulphate was decomposed, was, that in about 2 hours the clear solution became turbid, Magnesia was suspended in it.

Seeing the great effect of this small power, I pr[ocur]ed from Knights some plate Zinc, or sheet Zinc; I think they call it; about the thickness of pastboard. from this I cut out discs; & also obt[aine]d some sheet copper, & procured discs of that Metal; the discs ab[ou]t 1 3/4 inch in diameter: these I piled up as a battery, interposing a solution of the Muriate of Soda by means of Flannel discs of the same size; as yet, I have only made one trial, and at the time I believe about 18 or 20 Pair of Plates. With this power I have decomposed the Sulphate of Magnesia, the Sulphat[e] of copper, the Acetate of Lead, & I at first th[ou]ght also Water. but my conclusions in that <<respect>> were perhaps too hastily made.

I inserted the wires in a portion of the water that I took out of the cistern, and of course not pure a strong action commenced: a dense, I may really say dense white stream of matter descended from the Positive wire; & bubbles rose rapidly & in quick succession from the Negative wire. On per[cei]ving this effect take place, I concluded I had decomposed the water; but after a time, I perceived that the action slackened, the white cloud was scarcely perceptible at the wire, tho’ by the former action the lower part of the solution was perfectly opaque: & the bubbles nearly ceased. I thought that the action of the battery was exhausted, but in philosophy we do not admit supposition, & therefore to prove whether the battery was inert, or weather any principle in the water was exhausted, I substituted a fresh portion of water for that which had been galvanised. Then the action commenced again, & went on as at first; the white precipitate again appeared, & bubbles rose as before, but after a while it ceased as in the first instance[.]

I make no affirmative conclusion from these phenomena, but this I presume that the water was not decomposed; our water comes through Iron pipes, & is retained in a leaden cistern: I have also ascertained that it holds a small portion of Muriatic Acid, & have no doubt but that it contains Carbonic Acid. Now do you think that any part of the lead, or Iron, the lead I should rather fancy, is held in solution by the Muriatic or Carbonic Acid? and that the bubbles are formed by the precipitation of the metal, whilst the Acid - what a blunder I mean that the bubbles are formed by the escape of the Acid, & the precipitate is the Metallic oxide? - explain the circumstance to me, will you; either by your pen, or your tongue.

Another Phenomena I observed was this, on separating the discs from each other, I found that some of the zinc discs had got a coating, a very superficial one, in some parts, of Metallic copper, & that some of the copper discs had a covering of the Oxide of Zinc; in this case the Metals must both have passed through the flannel disc, holding in the solution of Muriate of Soda: & they must have passed by each other. I think that this circumstance well worth notice, for remember no effect takes place without a cause. the disposition too of the oxide of Zinc in the flannel was curious, & will tend to illustrate the passage of the metals from one side to the other. I cannot describe it with any effect, you must see it. - but think of these things, & let me know - if you please Sir, if you please let me know your opinion.

This far have I scribbled & have still got to apologise; but Philosophy must bear sway for a little longer. I had a contest with some Gents, respecting a perpetual motion, which induced me to go & see what they affirmed to be one. it was an application of the ball pendulum to a time piece, a very neat piece of workmanship; you may likely have seen it but if not it is in the window of a Watchmakers situated in a passage at the East side of the Royal exch[an]ge. by enquiring I ascertained that - it was called the incline plane clock, - was not invented by a watchmaker, (negative). - required winding up once in fourteen days <-> & was estimated at the value of fifty Guineas or more definitely at 52 10 0.- Guineas change in value so much now a days.

To conclude - look over -

And now dear Sir; to conclude in a manner requisite for this occasion, I humbly beg pardon for thus intruding on your time, your patience, & your good sense. I beseech you if you will condescend so far, to return me an answer on this occasion: & pray let the refusal of your correspondence be as gentle as possible <-> hoping dear A <-> that the liberty I have taken will not injure me in your good opinion, I cannot conclude <<bet>>ter than by wishing you all the happiness you can enjoy: the completion of all your good & honest wishes; and full he<<alth>> [MS torn] until I communicate with you again, & for ever after.

I am dear A<-> | Yours Sincerely | M. Faraday

Monday Morning

Dear A<_>

I am just now involved in a fit of vexation. I have an excellent prospect before me and cannot take it up for want of ability had I perhaps known as much of Mechanics, Mathematics Mensuration & Drawing as I do perhaps of some other sciences that is to say had I happened to employ my mind there instead of other sciences I could have obt[aine]d a place an easy place too and that in London at 5.6.7.ú800 per Annum. Alas Alas Inability <-> I must ask your advice on the subject and intend if I can to see you next Sunday.

I understand from my brother that you was [sic] in good health & spirits yesterdays [sic] you will be sure I was happy to hear it - I heartily hope too that your brothers health improves make if you please my best wishes to him[.] Fail not to give my respects to your Father & Mother & also your Sister.

I am dear A<_> | Yours Sincerely | M. Faraday

One necessary branch of Knowledge would be that of Steam engine and Indeed any thing where Iron is concerned. Paper out. Pen worn down so | Good day to you MF