Faraday to Christian Friedrich Schoenbein   18 December 1846

Royal Institution | 18, Decr. 1846

My dear Schoenbein

I really feel as if I wished to know whether you are yet in the flesh or whether you have gone off altogether, like a piece of your own cotton¹. I can never hear of your name now, except from someone who has a commercial value attached to it, either one way or the other; and nobody suggests you to my mind as that dear, quiet, lively, philosopher & yet somewhat sentimental friend that I so much like to think of. Your name is now a name of power: - it always has been a name of mental power; - but now it is powerful in the gross things of this world: - and it often makes me smile when I hear people talking of Schoenbein - I mean of the Guncotton Schoenbein, to think how little they know of his true spirit & pleasant ways. Each sticks something on to the name like that he would himself desired to have it, had he been the Guncotton man. But joking apart I am glad to think, that, now there is some, & I suppose a great, chance that a portion of the good things of this life will fall to your share, who have so well deserved them; & in causing them, have done so, not for their own sakes merely but in the true & correct pursuit & love of science. Long may you and yours live to enjoy, first a contented & happy mind, & with it those temporal goods which God may think fit to give you.

I suppose you heard of Mr. Lancasters² accident with some Guncotton prepared by a Mr. Taylor³. His gun burst & it is well he was not more than slightly wounded in the arm. It was the time of his going out next after you & I & he were together. I hear talking all round me, & see advertisements, from the parties representing you, continually in the papers; but as you know I do not meddle with any thing commercial, so I know little or nothing of what has been done, or is likely to be done. I hope we shall some day have a simple & philosophical account of the substance; - its analysis, and above all the philosophical views & reasonings you connect with it; for I know, by a few words which you dropped that you have such. Mr. Brande is going to give an account of Gun cotton on the first Friday Evening here⁴, & thus I expect to get a summary of that which is known.

I have worked since you were here but have nothing particular as yet:- and now I cannot work, for I am laid on the shelf for a while. My health generally is very good; but an affection has come on in the knee, like that I had in the other leg ten years ago⁵, (too much fluid in the joint;) and so I am obliged to bandage it, & incline it, and lay it up on a stool or couch:- and in fact nurse it & consequently the body & head & hands belonging to it. I am obliged to write now over a table; & that to one who has heretofore written & done all things standing, is troublesome, because it brings on oppression of the lungs & head. So I think I will even cut short this rambling letter, which is just intended to come as a little chat, & to produce, as I hope it will soon, some account of your whereabouts; that I may know where my old friend is, & what he is about. Do not forget in the midst of your cotton thoughts to speak of me with all kind feelings to Mrs Schoenbein & the family. If things run upon velvet I should not wonder if you brought somebody with you next time[.]

Ever Dear Schoenbein | Yours Truly | M. Faraday

Dr Schoenbein | &c &c

Address: Dr. Schoenbein | &c &c &c | University | Basle | on the Rhine