Augusta Ada Lovelace to Faraday   24 October 1844

Ashley Combe | Porlock | Somerset | Thursday 24th Octr

Dear Mr Faraday,

Since I despatched my long letter¹ to you a few days ago, it has occurred to me that I omitted the mention of two very essential points.

One is that I hope you will on no account press yourself to answer me. I ought to have specified this very particularly. My communication to you is of a nature to suggest many & various considerations. You have no time to waste in needless letter-writing. I do hope therefore that you will not answer it at all until you can do so after sufficient time has elapsed to make a reply quite satisfactory to yourself. And in the nature of that reply, consider yourself & not me. Do what is natural & agreeable to you to do; & think of me as a mere instrument. If you knew more of me, I think you would be inclined to believe (as I do) that a certain degree of scientific cooperation between us, would materially subserve the interests & objects of both parties. And for you to know truly my intellectual characteristics, I believe I ought to begin by becoming in a manner your pupil, (independant of the great advantage that would be to me in itself).

But you may feel you had rather not go out of your way for the chance of a perhaps dubious result.

My second point is that I have an ulterior object respecting your "Researches". I want to make a review & abstract of them, (for the Quarterly perhaps, or some such vehicle). I have therefore another motive for wishing go thro' them under your immediate guidance, besides the mere advantages to myself. I should wish to take those points of view in my review, which should be most consonant with your mind & views.

I think in this work I could be useful to you & to science.

Now I will detain you no longer. I really am half afraid I have been unwarrantably intrusive in writing to you as I did. I mean rather, that I have exposed myself to the appearance of it. For as to the motives & incentives, they have been anything but what could displease you, if you can truly perceive them. But am I not expecting a great deal too much, in supposing that your very slight personal intercourse hitherto, could enable you to do so?-

I remain | Yours truly | Augusta Ada Lovelace

Endorsed by Faraday: 1844.