Faraday to James Syme   30 July 1847¹

Edinburgh | 30 July 1847

My dear Brother

Your kind invitation and affectionate letter came to us this morning and I hasten at your desire to reply at once though I am very uncertain of the future & have more fears than hopes to express as to our being able to visit Galashiels and see your face. Almost from the first day of leaving home we have been constrained to alter our intentions and though we purpose stretching out our time by a whole week must leave much undone that we wished & intended to do. Next week we purpose being at Perth and Dunkeld & so arriving at Montrose so as to spend the Sabbath² there & a day or two of the following week - the rest of that week & the next Sabbath we think of passing amongst our friends at Dundee where we have never been and then we must return quickly home[.]

I had resolved to visit Aberdeen to see Mr. Duff & our brethren there - but have no hopes of being able to effect that object[.] It would indeed be a great pleasure for us to meet him & you together at Galashiels but as I before said the hope that that may be is almost extinct.

Give our kind love to the brethren with you & to Mr. Duff if (as I hope) you do see him. One source of sorrow in all the joy we have from seeing our friends in Scotland is to find how much we must limit our intentions and desires both of seeing those we cannot meet & remaining longer with those we do meet. My wife and I are one in love to you and all our friends[.]

Your Affectionate Brother | M. Faraday

Mr. Sime