Faraday to Lord Auckland   29 July 1847¹

14 Duke Street², Edinburgh: July 29, 1847.

My dear Lord, - If I had been in London I should have waited on your Lordship at the Admiralty instantly; as it is, I can only express my readiness to have done so. In reference to your Lordship's request, I will now take the liberty of explaining my position, which I did not very long since in a letter to the Secretary of the Admiralty³, to which letter, however, and to a former one, containing the results of serious consideration and much time⁴, I have never received any reply.

For years past my health has been more and more affected, and the place affected is my head. My medical advisers say it is from mental occupation. The result is loss of memory, confusion and giddiness; the sole remedy, cessation from such occupation and head-rest. I have in consequence given up, for the last ten years or more, all professional occupation, and voluntarily resigned a large income that I might pursue in some degree my own objects of research. But in doing this I have always, as a good subject, held myself ready to assist the Government if still in my power - not for pay, for, except in one instance⁵ (and then only for the sake of the person joined with me), I refused to take it. I have had the honour and pleasure of applications, and that very recently, from the Admiralty, the Ordnance⁶, the Home Office, the Woods and Forests, and other departments, all of which I have replied to, and will reply to as long as strength is left me; and now it is to the condition under which I am obliged to do this that I am anxious to call your Lordship's attention in the present case. I shall be most happy to give my advice and opinion in any case as may be at the time within my knowledge or power, but I may not undertake to enter into investigations or experiments. If I were in London I would wait upon your Lordship, and say all I could upon the subject of the disinfecting fluids⁷, but I would not undertake the experimental investigation; and in saying this I am sure that I shall have your sympathy and approbation when I state that it is now more than three weeks since I left London to obtain the benefit of change of air, and yet my giddiness is so little alleviated that I don't feel in any degree confident that I shall ever be able to return to my recent occupations and duties.

I have the honour to be, my Lord, your Lordship's very faithful servant, | M. Faraday.