Robert Gordon Latham to Faraday   2 July 1845¹

29 Upp: Southwick Street | Hyde Park Square | July 2, '45.

My dear Dr Faraday,

I have rung changes upon two words signifying form, & upon three denoting change in the hope of finding a word that you may honor by adopting.

These give

1. héterot<ac>ypic -

2. héterómorphic -

3. állot<ac>ypic -

4. állómorphic -

5. métat<ac>ypic -

6. métamórphic -

N˚ 6 is in use allready, & so he's out of the question.

No 5 is my favorite - <mu><epsilonac><tau><alpha> more than either heteros or allos denoting simple change: The other 2 mean departure from a type as in héteródoxy & álloph<ac>ylic (a word of Dr Prichard's²).

All lie under one disadvantage. The substantive form is an awkward one, e.g. állomórphy, metátypy &c. However, in Geology, they do with the simple adjective métamórphic & perhaps the single form métat<ac>ypic would serve your purpose.

I don't expect (from the nature of things) to give you words of less than four syllables; but if I can think of one that will work up into good substantives & verbs (so as to ensure you talk of metatypizing or working phenomena of metátypy by métat<ac>ypic manifestations) I will trouble you with another lucubration.

Believe me | My dear Dr Faraday | Ever most truly yours | R.G. Latham

Address: Professor Faraday | Royal Institution | Albemarle Street