Jean-Baptiste-André Dumas to Faraday   early December 1844

M. Faraday profr de chimie, à | l'Institution royale, albemarle Street.

Monsieur et cher ami

La mort de Dalton1 a laissé vacante dans nôtre Académie, Une place d'associé étranger. Une commission a été chargée de présenter des candidats2. Malheureusement, les géomètres s'y trouvant en majorité, M. Jacobi est présenté le premier et Vous le Second seulement.

Cependant, Nous sommes bien décidés à Vous soutenir. M. Arago est très ardent en vôtre faveur. MM Chevreul, Becquerel, etc. plaideront votre cause, Si digne de succès. Je ne vous parle pas de mon dévouement et de mon zèle; ils vous sont acquis dès longtemps

J'apprends que vous venez de faire, de Belles et nouvelles observations sur les gaz compréssés; Soyez assez bon pour m'en envoyer une notice sommaire. Elle fera l'objet d'une communication à l'académie qui décidera beaucoup d'indécis et que Je serais très heureux d'avoir à faire en vôtre nom3.

En tout cas, comptez sur moi, pour toutes choses et en toute occasion.

Veuillez croire à Vous mes sentimens d'admiration et d'affectueux dévouement | A Dumas | au jardin du roi

Mr Faraday, Professor of Chemistry at the Royal Institution, Albemarle Street.

Sir and Dear Friend,

The death of Dalton4 has left a vacancy for a Foreign Associate of our Académie. A commission has been set up to present candidates5. Unfortunately, since the mathematicians find themselves in the majority, Mr Jacobi has been presented as the first choice and you only as the second.

However, we are determined to uphold your nomination. Mr Arago is most ardently in your favour. Messrs Chevreul, Becquerel etc, will plead your cause, which is so worthy of success. I say nothing of my devotion and my zeal; they have belonged to you for a long time.

I hear that you have just made some beautiful new observations on the condensation of gases; be kind enough to send me a summary of these. It will form the basis of a communication to the Académie which will decide many undecided members and which I would be happy to do in your name6.

In any case, count on me, for all things and in all circumstances.

Please believe my feelings of admiration and affectionate devotion for you | A Dumas | The Royal Gardens

1
On 27 July 1844.
2
The commission, of which Dumas was a member, was set up on 21 October 1844 (Comptes Rendus, 1844, 19: 784) and reported on 16 December 1844 (ibid., 1373).
3
Letter 1659 was Faraday's response to this. However it was not read before the Académie, but published as Faraday (1845a).
4
On 27 July 1844.
5
The commission, of which Dumas was a member, was set up on 21 October 1844 (Comptes Rendus, 1844, 19: 784) and reported on 16 December 1844 (ibid., 1373).
6
Letter 1659 was Faraday's response to this. However it was not read before the Académie, but published as Faraday (1845a).

Bibliography

FARADAY, Michael (1845a): “Lettre ... à M. Dumas sur la liquéfaction des gaz”, Ann. Chim., 13: 120-4.

Please cite as “Faraday1654,” in Ɛpsilon: The Michael Faraday Collection accessed on 26 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/faraday/letters/Faraday1654