Christian Friedrich Schoenbein to Faraday   9 April 1842

My dear Faraday,

You can hardly imagine how gratified I felt at the contents of your last letter¹ short as it was. You are well again and by that I understand that you have become the Faraday of former days, that your health is entirely reestablished, that your spirits have regained their wonted elasticity and that you are allowed to resume your favorite studies. I did certainly not learn quite so much from your own note, an article however which I saw in some english paper contained statements going that length. I congratulate you upon that happy state of things from all my heart and do confidently hope that you will enjoy for many years to come that degree of health without which life is hardly a desirable gift. "Modus est in rebus"² do the classics say and pray my dear friend mind that maxim, i.e. do not any more overwork yourself and manage both your mental and physical powers. You have already done enough for Science and if there is any man being entitled to the enjoyment of "otium cum dignitate"³ it is you my dear Faraday.

I wonder whether you will guess at the author of the work of which I am charged to forward you a copy⁴. I should think you know him well enough.

These last three months I have been rather busy in my laboratory. My investigations turned upon the electrolysing power of simple voltaic circles and to the peculiar condition of iron.

As to both the subjects I was fortunate enough to ascertain a series of novel facts which I trust will render some little service to the chemical theory of voltaic electricity. I intend to publish my results in one of the next numbers of de la Rive's "Archives"⁵.

Mrs. Schoenbein is quite well and charges me with her best compliments to you and Mrs. Faraday.

Believe me | Your's | most sincerely | C.F. Schoenbein

Bâle April | 9 1842.

Tourney si vous plait.

Pray be so kind to forward the parcels inclosed to their respective destinations, by such an act of kindness you will very much oblige

Your friend S.