Christian Friedrich Schoenbein to Faraday   26 April 1843

My dear Faraday,

Having for a great length of time neither seen nor learned anything from you I felt, as you may easily imagine, no small degree of satisfaction and pleasure at the receipt of the letter you had the kindness to write to me some months ago¹. The mere sight of lines written by your hand independent of their contents does call forth in my mind feelings very similar to those which we experience in looking at the portrait of a beloved absent friend.

As to that part of the "German Philosopher's Work" which refers to the amiable philosophical Inhabitant of the Royal Institution² I must beg to be allowed to differ widely from you and am bold enough as to say that to my opinion the german writer knows, in some respects at least, the british Philosopher much better nay infinitely better than you do. Having to write about some other things I cannot give you the reasons which make me hold such an opinion[;] one of them I shall however mention. As you are a Philosopher yourself you must be well aware that objects being placed too near to the eye cannot be distinctly seen by that organ. It is your case my dear friend you have seen the man of whom I am speaking at a distance which is too small as to allow you to see him well and so distinctly as our german did who was more favorably placed than you are. If you think that the book in question would be relished by british readers we could perhaps manage here a translation of it as some english persons capable of doing such a work are living at Bâle. Knowing a little of the language myself and the author too I could perhaps also render some service to make the translation as correct as possible. Pray be so kind and let me know your opinion about that subject in your next letter.

I have read with much interest the notice in which you gave an account of some experiments made on electrical induction³. As far as I am able to judge I think that the results you have obtained are conclusive in favour of the views you developed some years ago in your papers "on the phenomena of induction."⁴ I only wonder that our continental philosophers have as yet not paid that degree of attention to the subject which it so fully deserves and which will ultimately not fail being excited. It is perhaps a certain laziness inherent to human nature that makes even men of science unwilling to shift out of old-beaten tracks and enter into paths newly opened though these should happen to be ever so well laid out.

The fact that the electricity developed in steam of high pressure is due to friction appears to me rather a surprizing one. Is it not possible that the dispersion or disaggregation of the fluid water caused by the expansion of steam has something to do with the phenomenon alluded to? If I am not mistaken it has been observed that the atmosphere near a cataract, i.e. the small particles of water flying about at such a place are in an excited state. I am indeed very curious to see the paper in which your results are described⁵.

In a small way I am continually occupied with voltaic researches and I think I shall be able to send you some memoirs within a short time. One of these papers will treat on the frequency of chemical effects produced by mere contact⁶ and another on the phenomena of electrolysis⁷. I am afraid you will think some of my conjectures rather too bold. - What do you say about Grove's gaseous Battery?⁸ You will perceive that I published a paper on that subject in the last number of de la Rive's Archives⁹. It seems our friend thinks the combination of isolated oxigen with isolated hydrogen to be a source of voltaic electricity. I cannot yet make up my mind to believe such a thing; my experiments at least do not lead to such an inference. De la Rive read the other day in the french Academy a memoir on the chemical action of a simple pile¹⁰, which as far as I know its contents, offers a good deal of scientific interest. The philosopher of Geneva has made use of a voltaic combination pointed out by me some years ago and arranged it so that it yields a considerable power. Peroxide of lead is the electronegative and zinc the electropositive element of de la Rive's arrangement. Peltiers statements are to me as yet no more than mere assertions and highly improbable conjectures¹¹. Although I dislike the very shadow of a controversy I could not help addressing a few words¹² to Mr. Martens¹³ who has been writing very strange memoirs on voltaic subjects these last two or three years¹⁴.

I regret very much indeed that your last letter cuts off my hopes of seeing you on the continent in the course of this summer. If you won't come to me you are running the risk of having your privacy broken in upon by my humble Individual, but do not be afraid that such a thing will happen in the year 1843.

Mrs Schoenbein and my children are doing well, the latter were during the whole winter suffering a good deal by a violent hooping-cough.

I confidently hope that the state of your health will be daily improving and the whole strength both of your body and mind entirely reestablished. Mrs. Schoenbein unites with me in her kindest regards to Mrs. Faraday and to yourself.

Ever Your's | most truly | C.F. Schoenbein

Bâle April 26, 1843.

Address: Doctor Faraday | &c &c &c | Royal Institution | London