Faraday to John Frederick William Herschel   15 January 1846

Royal Institution | 15 Jany 1846

My dear Sir John

I have at last procured a rod of glass about 2 inches long fit in some degree for the experiment¹ the first two or three pieces when cut were far too irregularly [sic]. I have also had a rock crystal cut & shaped but it turns out to consist of two or three Macles & to be of no use.

Using the glass a polarized ray was sent along it & examined by a Nicols eye piece the position of the latter being such as to give darkness[.] Then a very little torsion force made this rod act on the ray the luminous image becoming equally visible in any part of it as far as I could judge & increasing in brightness with the torsion. But there were no signs of rotation of the ray for when the Nicols eye piece was turned the brightness of the image increased & that whether the eye piece was turned in one direction or the other[.]

I found Mr. Hunt at work the other day with crystallizations & magnets & told him generally that you wished an experiment to be made on crystallization but did not describe what. I led him to think that if he offered his services they might be acceptable to you but did not think myself justified in telling him the experiment[.] Probably he has written to you²[.]

I quite grieve to hear of your illness by your letter³. I heard some others also speaking of it to day. Let us hope that it is temporary & that you know how to deal with it and that you really are dealing with it properly & not working hard if rest is required[.] I trust that Lady Herschell⁴ is a Tyrant on all those fitting occasions when a wifes best affection is shewn by severity. I owe much to my partner in these respects[.]

As to my paper in your hands⁵ I have worked upon both the thoughts contained in it as far as I can at present & must now lay them fallow to resume them when I have sun. So now if it will amuse you open read & burn the paper if you prefer it rather send it back to me[.]

Ever My dear Sir John | Yours Most Truly | M. Faraday

Sir J.F.W. Herschell Bart | &c &c &c