Faraday to T. Huxtable   13 February 1815

Rome: February 13, 1815

Dear Huxtable,- ... As for me, like a poor unmanned, unguided skiff, I pass over the world as the various and ever-changing winds may blow for me; for a few weeks I am here, for a few months there, and sometimes I am I know not where, and at other times I know as little where I shall be. The change of place has, however, thrown me into many curious places and on many interesting things; and I have not failed to notice, as far as laid in my power, such things as struck me for their importance or singularity. You will suppose that Sir H. Davy has made his route as scientific as possible, and you must know that he hasnot been idle in experimental chemistry; and, still further, his example did great things in urging the Parisian chemists to exertion. Since Sir H. has left England, he has made a great addition to chemistry in his researches on the nature of iodine. He first showed that it was a simple body. He combined it with chlorine and hydrogen, and latterly with oxygen, and thus has added three acids of a new species to the science. He combined it with the metals, and found a class of salts analogous to the hyperoxymuriates. He still further combined these substances, and investigated their curious and singular properties.

The combination of iodine with oxygen is a late discovery, and the paper has not yet perhaps reached the Royal Society¹. This substance has many singular properties. It combines both with acids and alkalies, forming with acids crystalline acid bodies; and with the alkaline metals oxyiodes, analogous to the hyperoxymuriates. It is decomposed, by a heat about that of boiling oil, into oxygen and iodine, and leaves no residuum. It confirms all Sir H.’s former opinions and statements, and shows the inaccuracy of the labours of the French chemists on the same subjects.

Sir Humphry also sent a long paper lately to the Royal Society on the ancient Greek and Roman colours², which will be worth reading when it is printed; but if you please, for present satisfaction, Mr. B. Abbott can and will, I have no doubt, with pleasure read you a short account of it³.

Sir H. is now working on the old subject of chlorine, and, as is the practice with him, goes on discovering. Here, however, I am not at liberty to say much, but you may know that he has combined chlorine and oxygen in proportions differing from those of euchlorine. The new substance is a very beautiful yellow-green-coloured gas, much deeper than euchlorine. It explodes when heated with a sharp report, and 1 volume gives 1 of oxygen and 1/2 chlorine nearly; whereas 1 of euchlorine gives 1 of chlorine and 1/2 of oxygen: so the new gas contains four times as much oxygen to the same volume of chlorine that euchlorine does⁴.

I beg to be excused for thus intruding subjects which, perhaps, now have no charm for you, for your time, I suppose, is filled with medicine; but I hope you will attribute it to my wish to give a little value at least to my letter; and in whatever way you may receive it, I will still maintain that Sir H.’s discoveries are valuable. But I find my time runs short, though my subjects are not yet exhausted.

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I present, with the certainty of their being accepted, the best wishes of yours, ever sincerely, | M. Faraday