Faraday to Carlo Matteucci   18 February 1843

Royal Institution: February 18, 1843.

My dear Matteucci, - I received your letter yesterday, and am much affected by your very kind inquiries after one who feels as if his purpose of life in this world were, as regards the world, passed, for every letter of yours finds me withdrawn more and more from its connections. My health and spirits are good but my memory is gone, and it, like deafness, makes a man retreat into himself.

...

I think you are aware that I have not attended at the Royal Society, either meetings or council, for some years. Ill health is one reason, and another that I do not like the present constitution of it, and want to restrict it to scientific men. As these my opinions are not acceptable, I have withdrawn from any management in it (still sending scientific communications if I discover anything I think worthy). This of course deprives me of power there.

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With earnest congratulations to you on your last papers¹,

I am, my dear Matteucci, your faithful friend, M. Faraday.