William Whewell to Faraday   3 December 1834

Trin. Coll. Cambridge Dec 3, 1834

My dear Sir,

I contrived to get off for Cambridge by Sunday¹ evening's mail, and so did not come to see your devices on Monday which I wanted very much to do; but engagements must be kept and lectures given at the appointed time; - a scientific work of which you have, I dare say, seen the value before this time. If I had seen you I wanted to say a word in connexion with what you intimated, that you did not like the word ion as a general term for the two elements the anion and the cation - or that your readers did not like it. You may recollect that at first I mentioned this as a term which I was not satisfied with². If you think it worth while to make the alteration, I would propose stechion "element" as a general term which shall mean the anion and cation together. The Greek term (<sigma1><tau><omicrom><iota><chi><epsilon><iota><omicron><nu>) is the proper word for "element"³, and occurs in our derivative stoicheometry, a word sometimes used in chemical literature; but the word stechion, the proper English form of it, is not used, and therefore you may introduce it in what sense you like - moreover the termination of stechion will sufficiently harmonize with anion and cation which it is to put people in mind of, and so will keep them in their places.

Perhaps you will not think this suggestion of any importance. I do not say it is of much; but as it occurred to me I have sent it you. Many thanks for your eighth series⁴.

Believe me | Yours truly | W. Whewell

Trin. Coll | Dec. 3, 1834

Address: M. Faraday Esq | Royal Institution | Albemarle Stree[t] | London