Faraday to Lord Melbourne   30 December 1835¹

Royal Institution | 30 Dec. 1835

My Lord

I intrude, perhaps improperly, to thank Your Lordship again for the great kindness and condescension which Your Lordship has shown me in the late affair of the Pension, and to ask a further grace; the good opinion of me which Your Lordship has expressed as being the foundation of the former affair² encouraging me to hope I shall not be considered intrusive in the present.

Professor Magnus of Berlin has sent me some Potassium Sodium and other articles in a tin box enclosed in a package consigned to Messrs Hamilton Koch & Co³. This tin box, the contents of which are entirely for purposes of philosophical investigation has been stopped at the Custom House; and the favour I have to ask of Your Lordship, is, that it may be allowed to pass. The things that are not in the box pay duty regularly. The contents of the box, if I had to pay for them at Berlin would not cost me I believe more than £3 or £4, but it is their peculiarity which makes the difficulty at the Custom House[.]

I have the honor to be | My Lord | Your Lordships most obliged | and Grateful Servant | M. Faraday

The Right Honorable | Lord Viscount Melbourne | First Lord of the Treasury | &c &c &c

Endorsed: 30 Dec 1835[.] Professor Farraday for the delivery of a Tin Box the contents of which are entirely for the purpose of Philosophical Investigation.

Read 5 Jany 1835 [sic]

Mr Baring⁴ states to the Board that directions have been issued for the delivery of the Tin Box in question free of duty[.]

My Lords approve there of[.] LD