Faraday to William Cock¹   10 September 1839

Royal Institution | 10 Septr 1839.

Sir

I am favoured & honored by the receipt of your note but am unable to comply with the request contained in it[.] It is now many years since I have declined lecturing on any account at any place except the Royal Institution & the R Academy at Woolwich. The consequence is that if I were to give up with the established rule I should have to lecture at the United Service Institution², the Society of Arts, the Architectural Institute, and not less than twenty other Institutes in London besides great numbers in the country whose kind invitations I have declined before I could consistently appear at Woolwich[.]

With my sincere respects to the Committee I am Sir

Your Very Obedient Servant | M. Faraday

Wm. Cock Esq