William Snow Harris to Faraday   11 February 1840

Shute House near Axminster | Feby. 11, 1840

My dear Faraday,

I take great shame to myself for not having sooner replied to your kind note of the 14th of Jany last. I hope you will pardon the delay. Your request to have my poor services for an evening at the R. Inst is of course gratifying to me, in as much as it indicates your continued good opinion of me. Still I scarcely know what to say about it, on account of choosing a fitting subject which might carry interest with it in the way of Experiment. I had thought of Electrical Light - but on consideration I think the phenomenon I most wish to call attention to will not be sufficiently apparent at great distances. I failed in this way before, not being aware of the great scale of the Theatre¹. However I will think it over in my mind again. There is yet another subject which might do (viz) The subject of my last paper in the Philosophical Magazine² - Explanatory of what is called the Lateral discharge in Electricity. It might be enlarged upon by bringing forward new cases of damage by Lightning &c.

You will find in the last number of the Philosophical Magazine some very interesting results of discharges of Electricity over detached masses of Gold leaf laid on Paper³. I will on my return to Plymouth (being now on a visit to Sir W. Poles⁴) send you the actual specimens, these I think, place the nature of discharge of Lightning as to direction, beyond controversy. I am inclined to think that this mode of Experimenting when carried fully out, may be of more consequence than at first imagined.

I hope to be in London in May or end of April, when I will try to do something, and will write again on the subject but I think the question above mentioned will prove interesting if well handled.

There has been a kind of Earthquake on the coast here near a Place called Seton about 6 miles from Lime⁵[.] I believe you know the coast⁶. The Bed of the sea has been upheaved above 30 feet above the surface of the water - high tides - and the Land within for 2 miles trembled about in all directions - flashes of light issued out of the water when the great mound of Rocks were uplifted (I suppose phosphoretted Hydrogen gas) attended by a peculiar smell they say here - the crashing noise attendent on the disruption of the Rocks was I am informed very frightful.

I have some new Mechanical apparatus for illustrating the decline of motion for you to see when I come to London.

Ever My Dear Faraday truly yours | W. Snow Harris

Dr. Faraday | FRS &c &c &c