Faraday to Eilhard Mitscherlich   4 August 1830¹

Royal Institution | 4th. August 1830

My dear Sir

Your letter which I received some time since gave me great pleasure and I have many times been on the point of taking up my pen to answer it but have been prevented by some sudden occupation[.] My situation is such that I am liable to be constantly disturbed and for 8 or 9 months in the year am thoroughly tired with continued business[.] Although I date from the R Institution I am at this moment a little way from town resting from recent fatigue & recovering from ill health²[.]

Your kind attention to my letter³ was no more than what I expected from your kindness although I knew very well I had no claim upon it for my opportunities of making your acquaintance in a worthy manner have been very few - far fewer than I desired. Your kindness in the porcellain the filtering paper & other things is fully appreciated by me and I hope soon to have the pleasure of examining the box you promised to send me[.] You refer to other to other [sic] things which with you are far cheaper than with us and if you obtain this letter before the box leaves or if any other opportunity occurs I should be very glad to have an ounce or two of potassium also some sodium - some bromine and also cadmium if not very dear - We have selenium which came from Germany but it is mingled with a great deal of sulphur - If it is not hoping too much I should be delighted to find that you would think for me and put up any thing you may suppose we have not or which is dear with us[.] Many things are so expensive with us that they limit our experiments.

I am quite anxious to see the cahier of your treatise⁴ which you mention in your letter and your doing so encourages me to speak to you relative to a work which is in contemplation here. You are aware that a Quarterly Journal of Science has been published in London Edited by Mr. Brande & continued for many years past. This Journal is to cease and the Managers of the Royal Institution are desirous of establishing a Quarterly Journal according to their Charter & which shall be truly scientific and excluding illnatured reviews shall include as much foreign science as possible⁵. The latter has been sadly neglected here & it is their wish that every means should be taken to supply the deficiency in the new Journal. The Bookseller⁶ will of course have his profits but the work is to be no source of profit to the R Institution or to the Managers[.] On the other hand everybody who contributes scientific matter is to be paid. The rate of payment will vary from five to ten guineas a sheet according to the character of the person who writes & the originality & quality of the contribution[.] If the work succeeds every thing it produces is to be expended upon its own improvement. Now I have thought that perhaps you could help us to science of an original kind from your part of the globe by telling us of [a] person who would contribute or sending us papers & I promised the Managers to ask you whether you could not let us have a popular but scientific account of your own discoveries not too profound & mathematical but yet clear & good & fit to be an authority something indeed like Fresnels⁷ account of the undulatory th<<eory of>> light which in fact Dr. Young translated for Mr. B<<rande’>>s Journal⁸.

The first Number of the new Journal will appear on the first day of October & it is hoped that every number will be an improvement. If we can get men like yourself to help it, it will be sure to succeed and will quickly become a pleasure to those who support it[.] Any thing which you may like to say upon the subject communicate to me & I will lay it before the Committee[.]

With the strongest recollection of your kindness and the highest respect to your talents

I am My dear Sir | Your Most Obliged & faithful Servant | M. Faraday

I hope the address of this letter will enable it to reach you[.]

Address: Professor Mitscherlich | &c &c | Berlin