Faraday to William John Broderip¹   23 February 1846

R Institution | 23 Feby 1846

My dear Broderip

Such an office as that you wish to put upon me does not at all fall in with the habits & inclinations of my mind - which is ever to avoid giving judgment in matters of opinion & speculation. Besides that all the reasoning power which I can muster up I carefully economise & direct upon those trains of thoughts which are familiar to me & out of which I make my course in life. I verily believe there are twenty discoveries before me & accessible if I had but had strength to attack them but after a certain amount of mental exertion of any kind I grow giddy & confused & have to wait till all feels right again.

I will attend to all you say about privacy & shall at my opportunities read the book but it will be some time first. Whether I may be tempted to make any remarks to you afterwards I cannot at present say.

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

W.J. Broderip | &c &c &c