John Frederick William Herschel to Faraday   4 July 1826

Dear Sir - As I doubt not you have analysed the Meteoric Iron of the great mass recently arrived will you obliged me by informing me whether we agree in making LEAD a notable component part in conjunction with Nickel and perhaps Cobalt & Manganese? The former metal has I believe never been suspected in Meteoric Masses but I find it - not only in ye Sawings (for there it might be accidental) but in a little lump of 10 gr. detached from ye outside[.]

I should like however ye evidence of a portion from the interior untouched metal to put the fact of the whole having an alloy of Lead beyond suspicion[.] If you have a Shaving or two would you oblige me with it - Enough to make a regular analysis - 50-to 100 grs[.]

I believe the possibility of uniting Lead & Iron has been denied or ye alloy has been formed with difficulty & retaining only a very minute portion of Lead. If so this habitat of Lead is a very odd one[.]

Yours truly | J F W Herschel

Slough July 4. 1826.

Endorsed: July 4, 1826. Copy of a letter to M. Faraday Esq, RI