Faraday to William Scoresby   6 December 1843

Brighton | 6 Decr. 1843

My dear Sir

I have received your book¹ - thank you earnestly for it - & am now here reading it. But it is hard work for a man whose memory has failed as mine has done to keep in remembrance the numerous conditions conducive to one result[.] What hard work however you must have had to work out so many experimental cases but the fruits repay you. May I ask a foolish question but the lateral & mutual influences of the magnets interest me much in reference to the lateral action of a current of Electricity. When you space or separate your very hard plates or the others you have a much better effect than if not separated. Now I suppose separation at the poles or places where the power becomes so to say external is much more important than separation at the middle parts is that the case? or in other words would separating the middle parts of the magnetic plates produce

any effect? & if so much or little? My question is only in a theoretical point of view[.]

A Mr Cormack² who travelled much in America & Newfoundland told me that in the American woods in winter time English hatchetts flew at the edge like glass whereas the Americans so temper their hatchetts that they stand - & this they do by hardening them in a mixture of white arsenic & water. I merely mention the fact as connected with hardening not supposing however it will be of any value to you[.]

Why are horseshoe magnets in a different case to straight bar magnets; Do you have any theoretical reason?

Ever Your Obliged Servant | M. Faraday

Revd. Dr. Scoresby | &c &c &c