Faraday to Benjamin Abbott   18 June 1813

Dear Abbott

As when on some secluded branch in forest far & wide sits perched an owl who full of self conceit and self created wisdom, explains, comments condemns and orders things not understood: yet, full of his importance still holds forth to stocks and stones around: - so sits, and scribbles Mike; so he declaims, to walls, stones, tables chairs, hats books pens, shoes, and all the things inert, that be around him - and so he will to the end of the chapter.

In compliance with that precept which desires us to finish one thing before we begin another I shall at once fall to work on the Lecturer & continue those observations which I have from time to time both made & gained about him[.] Happy am I to say that the fault I shall now notice has seldom met my observation yet as I have witnessed it & as it does exist it is necessary to notice it[.]

A Lecturer falls deeply beneath the dignity of his character when he descends so low as to angle for claps & asks for commendation yet I have seen a lecturer even at this point[.] I have heard him causelessly condemn his own powers[.] I have heard him dwell for a length of time on the extreme care and niceness that the experiment he will make requires. I have heard him hope for indulgence when no indulgence was wanted & I have even heard him declare that the experiment now made cannot fail from its beauty its correctness & its application to gain the approbation of all - yet surely such an error in the character of a Lecturer cannot require pointing out even to those who resort to it its impropriety must be evident & I should perhaps have done well to pass it[.]

Before however I quite leave this part of my subject I would wish to notice a point in some manner connected with it[.] In Lectures & more particularly experimental ones it will at times happen that accidents or other incommoding circumstances take place on these occasions an apology is sometimes necessary but not always[.] I would wish apologies to be made as seldom as possible and generally only when the inconvenience extends to the companys[.] I have several times seen the attention of by far the greater part of the audience called to an error by the apology that followed it[.]

An experimental Lecturer should attend very carefully to the choice he may make of experiments for the illustration of his subject they should be important as they respect the science they are applied to yet clear & such as may easily & generally be understood[.] They should rather approach to simplicity & explain the established principles of the subject than be elaborate & apply to minute Phenomena only[.] I speak here (be it understood) of those lectures which are delivered before a mixed audience and the nature of which will not admit of their being applied to the explanation of any but the principal parts of a science[.] If to a particular audience you dwell on a particular subject still adhere to the same precept tho perhaps not exactly to the same rule let your experiments apply to the subject you elucidate do not introduce those that are not to the point[.]

‘Tho this last part of my letter may appear superfluous seeing that the principle is so evident to every capacity yet I assure you dear Abbott I have seen it broken through in the most violent manner[.] A meer ale-house trick has more than once been introduced in a Lecture delivered not far from Pall-Mall as an elucidation of the laws of motion.

Neither should too much stress be laid upon what I would call small experiments or rather illustrations[.] It pleases me well to observe a neat idea enter the head of a Lecturer the which he will immediately & aptly illustrate or explain by a few motions of his hand a card a lamp a glass of water or any other thing that may be by him when he calls your attention in a particular way to a decisive experiment that has entered his mind clear and important in its application to the subject and then - lets fall a card I turn with disgust from the Lecturer and his experiments[.]

‘Tis well too when a Lecturer has the ready wit and the presence of mind to turn any casual circumstance to an illustration of his subject[.] Any particular circumstance that has become table talk for the town any local advantages or disadvantages any trivial circumstance that may arise in company give great force to illustrations aptly drawn from them and please the audience highly as they conceive they perfectly understand them[.]

Apt experiments (to which I have before referred) ought to be explained by satisfactory theory or otherwise we merely patch an old coat with new cloth and the whole (hole) becomes worse[.] If a satisfactory theory can be given it ought to be given[.] If we doubt a received opinion let us not leave it unnoticed & affirm our own ideas but state it clearly & lay down also our objections[.] If the scientific world is divided in opinion state both sides of the question - & Let each one judge for himself assisting him by noticing the most striking & forcible circumstances on each side[.] Then & then only shall we do justice to the subject please the audience & satisfy our honour (the honor of a philosopher)[.]

I shall here cause a slight separation in the subject by closing this epistle as it is now getting late so I shake hands ‘till tomorrow at which time I hope to find all as well as is at present

Yours Sincerely | M. Faraday

June 18th | 1813

Address: Mr. B Abbott | Long Lane | Bermondsey