Faraday to Benjamin Abbott   12 and 14 May 1813

May 12. 1813.

The monk for the chastisement of his body and mortification of sensual lusts and worldly appetites abstains from pleasures and even the simple supplies that nature calls for. - The miser for reasons as strong tho’ diametrically opposite the gratification of a darling passion does exactly the same and leaves unenjoyed every comfort of life - but I for no reason at all have neglected that which constitutes one of my greatest pleasures and one that may be enjoyed with the greatest propriety - ‘till on a sudden as the dense light of the electric flash pervades t’horizon so struck the thought of Abbott through my soul.

And yet Ben tho I mean to write to you at this time I have no subject in particular out of which I can cut a letter[.] I shall therefore (if you will allow me a second simile) follow the pattern of the expert sempstress who when she has cut out all her large and important collects and combines as fancy may direct pieces of all sorts sizes shapes and colours and calls it patch work such a thing will this epistle most probably turn out begun one day yet most likely finished on another formed of things no otherwise connected than as they stand upon the paper things to of different kinds it may well be called patch work or work which pleases none more than the maker[.]

What is the matter with the thumb and fore-finger of your right hand and yet tho they be ever so much out of order it can scarcely excuse your long silence[.] I have expected something from you before now even tho it might be wrote thus¹[.]

“He that hath not music in his heart &c”² confound the music say I. - it turns my thoughts quite round or rather half way round from the letter[.] You must know Sir that there is a grand party dinner at Jaques hotell which immediately faces the back of the institution and the music is so excellent that I cannot for the life of me help running at every new piece they play to the window to hear them - I shall do no good at this letter tonight and so will get to bed and “listen listen to the voice of” bassoons violins clarinets trumpets serpents and all the other accessories to good music - I cant stop good-night[.] <qr>May. 14th.

What a singular compound is man - what strange contradictory ingredients enter into his composition - and how completely each one predominates for a time according as it is favoured by the tone of the mind and senses and other existing circumstances - at one time grave circumspect & cautious - at another silly headstrong and careless - now conscious of his dignity he considers himself as Lord of the creation - yet in a few hours will conduct himself in a way that places him beneath the level of the beasts - at times free frivolous and open his tongue is an unobstructed conveyor of his thoughts - thoughts which on after consideration makes him ashamed of his former behaviour - indeed the numerous paradoxes anomalies and contradictions in man exceed in number all that can be found in nature elsewhere and separate and distinguish him if nothing else did from every other created object organised or not - The study of these circumstances is not uninteresting in as much as knowledge of them enable us to conduct ourselves with much more propriety in every situation in life[.] Without knowing how far we ourselves are affected by them we should be unable to trust to our discretion amongst other persons and without some knowledge of the part they bear or make in the composition we should be unable to behave to him unreserved & with freedom[.]

It was my intention when I again sat down to this letter to obliterate all the former part of it but the thoughts I have just set down were sufficient to alter my determination[.] I have left them as being the free utterance of an unemployed mind and delineating a true part of my constitution[.] I believe too that I know sufficiently of the component parts of my friend as to justify my confidence in letting them remain unaltered[.]

For much more I have neither room nor time to spare nor had I - would I lengthen what is already too long yet as a clock after giving warning passes on for a few moments before it strikes so do I linger on the paper. It is my intention to accept your kind invitation for sunday morning (further your deponent knoweth not) and I shall therefore take the liberty of seeing you after breakfast at about 9h. 45m, till when I remain with respects to all friends

Yours Truly, | M. Faraday

Address: Mr. B. Abbott | Long Lane | Bermondsey