Faraday to Charles Manby   11 February 1842

R Institution, | 11 Feby 1842

My dear Sir

I cannot tell whether the paper¹ on Iron is fit for you or not. It has two objects as stated by the author in the conclusion the first to gain an admission for its writer into the Institute by its character as an Essay & the next to give the chemical nature of the proofs of reducing Iron[.] Of the first you must be the judge[.] Of the second, I must say that I do not think it states any thing that was not well known before[.] It appears to me to be the result of observation but then others have also observed & recorded the same facts[.] I am now speaking of that which I consider as accurate but there are many parts which are very vague loose and doubtful. Thus part of what relates to water and all of what relates to ammonia also the order of reduction & flexing at pp 12, 13 &c the considerations on Iron & Carbon at p. 15 and other parts are according to my notion too confidently spoken of, for some parts of these matters I think are wrong & others not as yet known. The chemical formula are also I think out of place being inconsistent with the looseness of expression elsewhere[.] By looseness of expression I mean such as "some (ores) are wholly compound of lime & contain fossil shells" p 1 "Bitumen may be said to include a small part of the carbon together &c" p 3 "to drive off all superfluous matters" p 8.

There are no new analogies in the paper or any new facts added in addition to those before known in support of any particular view[.]

Remember this is quite a private communication otherwise I should have spoken in more exact language. I think the writer if he pursues the matter and reads up to what others have written so making a fair start from the present state of knowledge may do much in the subject[.]

Ever Truly Yours | M. Faraday

- Manby Esq | &c &c &c