Royal Institution | 2 Feby 1843
My dear Sir
Your hearty letter reached me yesterday & there are two points in it which I cannot allow myself to leave unanswered however unworthy I am to write or lazy I may be or indisposed as I may think myself[.] I am very giddy today more indeed than usual but perhaps writing to you may take it away[.] One curious effect of that kind of feeling with me is to make me cut short the marks representing letters & words and I have no doubt you will find that out before I have finishd - behold an example it should have been finished. Your kind invitation is most acceptable to me though I have no idea when I can take advantage of it - perhaps never but the thought of your wishing it is itself refreshing & I do sincerely thank you for your kindness. For your papers1 too I thank you and though I agree with Rochefocault2 [sic] in most things yet my gratitude is something besides a keen sense of favours to come3[.]
As to the particular point of your letter about which you honor me by asking my advice I have no advice to give but I have a strong feeling on the matter and will tell you what I should do[.] I have always felt that there is something degrading in offering rewards for intellectual exertion and that Societies or Academys or even Kings & Emperors should mingle in the matter does not remove the degradation for the feeling which is hurt is a point above their condition and belongs to the respect which a man owes to himself: With this feeling I have never since I was a boy aimed at any such prize or even if as in your case they came near me have allowed them to move me from my course and I have always contended that such rewards will never move the men who are most worthy of reward. Still I think rewards & Honors good if properly distributed but they should be given for what a man has done & not offered for what he is to do or else talent must be considered as a thing marketable & to be bought & sold and then down falls that high tone of mind which is the best excitement to a man of power & will make him do more than any common place reward[.] When a man is rewarded for his deserts he honors those who grant the reward, & they give it not as a moving impulse to him but to all those who by the reward are led to look to that man for an example. If I were you therefore I should go on my way & discover & publish (if I <could)> but having done that I see no objection as the time dra<ws> nigh to send copies of the papers to the Academy or even such an account of them as may be considered fit and in doing so I should think I was paying a fit mark of respect to the Academy, and giving them the opportunity of marking their sense of what had been done if they saw fit4. But I would not depart from my own high position (I mean as respects feeling), for any reward they could give. Excuse my freedom. I have no time to dot ii or cross tt or punctuate. I hope you will find out the meaning.
Ever Most Truly Yours M. Faraday
Address: Dr. Thomas Andrews | &c &c &c | Belfast | Ireland
Please cite as “Faraday1466,” in Ɛpsilon: The Michael Faraday Collection accessed on