Faraday to John Stevens Henslow   21 May 1823¹

Royal Institution London | May 21 1823

Sir

I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 14th May in which you inform me of the honour done me by the Cambridge Philosophical Society in electing me one of the honorary members. I assure you there is nothing which could have given me greater pleasure and encouragement at this time than such a mark of approbation of the Society and though I feel myself quite unworthy of it yet I accept it promising to make it a constant stimulus to new exertions. The little that I have been able to do in the cause of science has been due rather to accident or industry than to any thing else but it has sufficed to shew me that those who labour will certainly have their reward and therefore it is with less hesitation that I entertain hopes through perseverance of becoming at some future time a worthy member of the Society.

I have the honor to be | Sir | Your obliged and faithful Servant | M. Faraday

J.S. Henslow Esq