Faraday to Francis Boott   c1 March 1837

My dear Sir

That I cannot give a testimonial to my friend Phillips¹ is not merely a matter of general reluctance to certify but of principle; for refusing all I am obliged to refuse each and I refuse all because having no confidence in certificates I wish to have no association in any way with them. In the present particular case too if I certify for one I should have to certify for two others also, one being our friend Graham of Glasgow². But when I am asked by an authority concerned in forming the decision what I think of a candidate I cannot refuse to answer. To all that you have said of Phillips I fully agree. I should indeed have thought his character had been known to be such that it would rather have been de‑graded than established by certificates[.] What he has done in connection with the Pharmacopoeia³ is fully sufficient to shew the confidence reposed in his talents & abilities by those who hold a high station in the medical world and I can freely say that if I had time & desire to pursue still further pharmaceutical chemistry I should go to Mr Phillips for my teacher[.]

I am my dear Sir | Very faithfully Yours | M. Faraday