Faraday to Robert Edmond Grant   7 January 1840

Royal Institution | 7, Jany 1839 [sic]

My dear Sir

You are a chief anchor to me in the stormy seasons of our Winter and as the tumultuous times come on I think of you with hope & comfort[.] May I ask for an early evening the second for instance the 31, January ¹[.] My desire to have it & have it soon will tell you how much I value your most philosophical disquisitions. Rouchefaucaudt² [sic] says that gratitude is a keen sense of favours to come ³ and agreeing as I do with him in most of his maxims I do heartily & sincerely thank you before hand for your kindness but do not imagine that I forget that which is past[.]

I should be very glad to hear from you to say you will take the 31st Jany & the title of the subject[.]

If you say the 31st is not possible & would like the 7th or 14 of Feby better I will leave it open[.] But Gray of the B.M. is to give one evening on the Barnacle⁴ and I would rather have you as our Professor first & also I would wish to arrange for some subject on inorganic nature to come between you & him[.]

Ever My dear Sir | Your faithful Servant | M. Faraday

Dr Grant | &c &c &c