William Whewell to Faraday   25 September 1835

Trinity College, Cambridge. Sept. 25. 1835

My dear Sir

I am much obliged by your answer of my enquiries¹. I should like much to talk over some of them with you and may perhaps have an opportunity of doing so as I expect to be in London for a day or two in the beginning of October; and I will defer to some such opportunity anything more which I have to say on the subject. I feel however we shall probably differ very little for the remarks you make upon my suggestions agree very nearly with my own. The difficulties which you point out as belonging to the opinions which I stated had occurred to me, and it is a matter of great satisfaction to me to find that we look at the matter so nearly in the same point of view. I still think that some of them may be got over; but I am puzzled how to conceive the condition of a magnetic body so that the hypothetical electrodynamic currents which circulate round its particles according to Ampere's theory, shall be absolutely identical with voltaic currents; till this is done, the attempt to identify the circumstances under which the two kinds of currents begin and stop can hardly be successful.

I can hardly conceive how you can even for a moment doubt about the immense scientific importance of your electromagnetic researches. I have all along considered them as the greatest event which ever happened in the history of chemistry. It has for some time been clear that the capital point of chemical theory is the connexion between electrical relation and chemical composition; and you have now got so far as to obtain a numerical measure of the former relation, and some facts belonging to its connexion with the numerical laws of composition. It cannot be doubted therefore that you have made great steps towards the solution of the grand problem; and my own persuasion is that you have before you still greater discoveries than you have yet made. In this point of view I consider Ampere's theory, beautiful as it is, and I think well estab‑lished, as only a small part of your magnificent subject. Believe me my dear sir

Yours very sincerely | W. Whewell

Address: Dr Faraday | Royal Institution | Albemarle Street