William Gregory to Faraday   24 October 1840¹

Aberdeen 24th Oct 1824 [sic]

Dear Sir

I have just received your obliging note. In reference to the second part of the organic chemistry², my duty has been for the most part that of a translator. I regret that I was not concerned in the translation or editing of the first part, which I think might have been rendered more easily intelligible to the student, as well as more interesting. This part, in which the general principles of organic chemistry are developed, was edited by a gentleman³ who had no practical acquaintance with organic chemistry, and who in consequence committed some mistakes, occasionally even reversing the author's meaning. In the part now published, which contains chiefly details of facts, I could not repair the errors of the introductory part, but I have endeavoured as far as possible to render these details clear and consistent.

In the seventh edition⁴, which will be published in a few days, I have ventured to make considerable additions to the first part of the organic chemistry, with the view of making the subject more easy to the student; but as Prof. Liebig still takes an active share in the execution of the work, I could not rewrite the whole as I could have wished to do; knowing better than he can do, the necessity of being very elementary indeed, for our students, whose previous education is so often imperfect.

In the 7th. edition I have much curtailed the sections on heat and electricity, not that I undervalue these branches, but because without doing so, I could not find space for the briefest sketch of the actual state of chemistry. I have done this with the less regret, because I am convinced that the time has come when the student must resort to works, on these subjects especially, for the informa‑tion he requires; and that it is absurd even to attempt to give in an elementary work on Chemistry, the matter of such voluminous but absolutely essential works as for example, your own researches on electricity or those of Melloni and De la Rive.

I have further to mention, that the concluding part of the Organic Chemistry, to be published before Christmas, will be, except the first few pages, written by myself; so that I shall consider myself in reality the responsible editor of that part of the work. Imperfect as I fear it will be, still I have some satisfaction in the consideration that the subjects it contains will be for the first time offered to the British public in their actual state of progress. I omit no endeavours to keep myself fully informed of every thing that is done on the Continent, where alone, I regret to say, with hardly an exception, organic chemistry is as yet pursued. I fervently trust that the rising British chemists will take their fair share in the future advancement of this department of our science.

If I might venture to hope to hear from you at your leisure, I should feel deeply indebted to you for mentioning to me the discoveries which in the course of your researches, you cannot fail to make. I am here so much out of the way of scientific news, that any thing of that kind is doubly precious to me.

Within these few days, an arrangement has been made, by which our mutual friend, Dr. Forbes⁵, from an addition to his duties as Professor of Humanity, resigns the Chemistry in King's College to me. As I am henceforth therefore, to lecture on Chemistry, any communication from you will confer on me and my class a very great obligation.

The only new fact (new, at least, to me) that has lately occurred to me, is that in almost all the commercial oxides of manganese, cobalt and nickel are con‑tained, in small but appreciable quantity. When such oxides of manganese are converted into chloride, and digested with carbonate of manganese till the iron is completely separated, the first drop or two of hydrosulphuret of ammonia cause a black precipitate. This I have found to be a mixed sulphuret of cobalt and nickel. Several authors have attributed this black precipitate to an imperfect separation of the iron; but the iron by the above method is separated absolutely, if peroxidised. Perhaps you will think it worth while to cause this experiment to be repeated. If it be new to you, may I ask you to insert a note of it in the Annals of Philosophy or rather Philosophical Magazine.

Mr Davidson⁶ of this place, of whom you have heard through Dr. Forbes⁷, has for some weeks been exhibiting his very ingenious and economical method of applying electro-magnetism as a moving power. His apparatus is very neat and efficient, and he has ascertained many points of great practical importance.

Believe me | Dear Sir | Yours most respectfully | William Gregory

Address: M. Faraday Esq | Royal Institution | Albemarle Street | London.

Postmark: 25 October 1840