Royal Institution | Albemarle St | London | 31 Aug 1847
My dear friend
Since our return home I have not forgotten the subject we talked about namely the warming of the meeting house in the winter but I have hitherto been unable to perform what I desired. According to what I hear I conclude that a duodecimo volume entitled I think "Arnott3 on warming and ventilation"4 published by Longman & Co5. and as I am told price 5/- would be exactly the work that would suit your views. I sent therefore to the publishers for a copy that I might have the pleasure of sending it to you but found it was out of print or at least that they had not a copy and since then I have made many enquiries elsewhere for it but without success. I shall enquire still further but in the mean time thought that perhaps you might procure it at once in Dundee if Longman has any house there connected with them & still possessing a copy[.]
After all however I think that any plan for warming the place must depend for its success upon the Judgment & experience of the Builder, Smith or Engineer who undertakes to carry it into practice for the success or failure will depend upon the manner in which the practical application is carried out. I cannot but think the place must be very cold in winter without warming and that it should be warmed & that is nearly all that I can say for only those who have an opportunity of knowing the place in winter can judge of what is required.
My wife & I often talk together of the great pleasure we had in our trip north & amongst our friends at Dundee - first one person & then another occurs to our minds and we feel as much now as when with you that our time was far too short - still it was right not to make it longer for I have not yet been able to recover from the giddiness in my head and my medical advisers wish me to go at once away from London & take up a state of seclusion at the seaside. But this cannot be for I have had my holiday & had it very happily and the rest must be left to take its course. I had a letter from Mr. Duff lately in which I was glad to hear of our friends generally. Remember us kindly to him & to all who mention our names to you[.]
Ever My dear Brother | Very Truly Yours | M. Faraday
Mr. Greig | Dundee
ARNOTT, Neil (1838): On Warming and Ventilating, with directions for making and using the thermometer-stove, and other new apparatus, London.
WALLIS, Philip (1974): At the Sign of the Ship: Notes on the House of Longman, 1724-1974, Harlow.
Please cite as “Faraday2017,” in Ɛpsilon: The Michael Faraday Collection accessed on 15 May 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/faraday/letters/Faraday2017