Faraday to Arthur-Auguste De La Rive   20 February 1845

Royal Institution | 20 Feby 1845

My dear De la Rive

The thought of writing to you has been so constantly on my mind, and therefore by comparison so fresh, that I had no idea until this minute that I have looked at your letter¹ that I had received it so long ago. I have waited & waited for a result intending to write off to you on the instant & hoping by that to give a little value to my letter, until now when the time being gone & the result not having arrived I am in a worse condition than ever and the only value my letter can have will be in the kindness with which you will receive it. The result I hoped for was the condensation of oxygen but though I have squeezed him with a pressure of 60 atmospheres at the temperature of 140˚F. below 0˚ he would not settle down into the liquid or solid state - and now being tired, and ill, and obliged to prepare for lectures I must put the subject aside for a little while. Other results of this kind i.e of the liquefaction & solidification of bodies usually gaseous which I have obtained you will have seen noticed in the Annales de Chimie². The full account I hope to send you soon from the Philosophical Transactions³[.]

As to the Ozone subject - it is exceedingly curious and I am really surprised to think how many results and reasons there appears to be all tending in one direction and yet without any one of them furnishing an overruling and undeniable proof. I get confused with the numerous reason - my bad memory will not hold them, and with my judgment longs to rest on some one proof such as a little ozone in the separate visible or tangible state[.] Nitrogen is certainly a strange body - it encourages every sort of guess about its nature and will satisfy none. I have been trying to look at it in the condensed state but as yet it escapes me.

Your kind invitation for the scientific meeting in August is very pleasant to the thought but I dare not hope much for such happiness. I long to see Geneva and Switzerland again but there are many things which come between me & my desires in that respect[.] I know the kindness of your heart and how far I may draw upon you if I come and I thank you most truly for not only the invitation you have sent me but for all the favours you would willingly shew me. Do you remember one hot day I cannot tell how many years ago when I was hot and thirsty in Geneva and you took me to your house in the town & gave me a glass of water & Raspberry vinegar. That glass of drink is refreshing to me still[.]

Adieu my dear friend. Remember me kindly to Madame de la Rive - and if I am not too far wrong in the collocation of thoughts & remembrance of past things - bring me to mind with one or two young friends who shewed me a dolls house once & with whom I played on the green[.]

Yours Most truly & Affectionately | M. Faraday