Thomas Romney Robinson to Faraday   13 July 1825¹

Dublin July 13th / 25

Dear Sir

On arriving here I heard of the death of Mr Higgins², Professor of Chemistry at the Dublin Royal Society[.] You instantly occurred to me as one who might be certain of success if he offered himself[.] I do not know the emoluments of your present situation, but the other stands thus. The professor has a salary of ú 500 per annum, his lectures are gratuitous, but he may have assistant pupils who pay (or did in Higgins’s time) 10 Guineas for the course. All expenses of his lectures defrayd [sic] by the society and a very complete establishment of apparatus &c. I am not myself a member of this society, tho I believe my opinion would have some weight with many of them; its most influential persons are Hon. George Knox³, John Leslie Foster⁴ MP, and Joy⁵ the Irish Solicitor General; if you have access to any of these there would be no doubt of your success - You will perhaps wonder at my taking the liberty of counselling one whom I never saw but twice, but there is a free masonry of science, and they who wish to be thought to belong to the Craft are always anxious to force themselves on the notice and acquaintance of its true brethren. If you make any application to the D. Society, the attestations of capacity wh[ich] are usually produced on such occasions might be from Wollaston and Davy who are most admired here of all yo<<ur>> luminaries - If on the other ha<<nd>> you think the thing not worth seeking there is no harm done but the writing of an idle letter. Believe me | yours very sincerely | T.R. Robinson

My direction is | Observatory | Armagh

Address: M. Faraday Esq | Royal Institution | Albemarle St | London