William Thomas Brande to Faraday   17 March 1840

Royal Mint | Tuesday 17 March

My dear Faraday,

Though I continue on the right road my progress is very slow, and Dr Chambers¹ has desired me to postpone lecturing for another week. Under these circumstances my Saturday afternoon lecture therefore much stand deferred from Saturday next the 21st to Saturday the 28th which I hope you will be good enough to arrange for me with the proper authorities². The morning lectures perplex me, as I really do not feel justified in leaving my duties there unperformed till Tuesday the 31st of March, which in the present aspect of affairs I should be obliged to do and by which the course would be shortened by nine lectures. As it is, they will lose six. The only way which at present occurs to me of getting over this difficulty is to ask Griffiths³ to lecture for me on the Tuesday Thursday and Saturday of next week. He is in the habit of giving the exact counterpart of these lectures at Saint Bartholomews and I am sure would do it, well and willingly. If you see no objection to this proposal pray ask Griffiths if he will be so good to call upon me tomorrow when he leaves Bartholomews, and I will fully explain to him my views. I presume of course that the Managers will not disapprove of this plan, but if you think there is any thing objectionable in it, say nothing about it to Griffiths but let me hear immediately from you.

I have suffered so much during this attack, and am so justly apprehensive of any thing in the shape of a relapse, that I am quite convinced I am only doing my duty to all parties in acting as I do. I hope, and indeed am sure that the Managers will see it in this light. You well know that it is no slight cause that induces me to absent myself.

Yours dear Faraday | W.T. Brande