Faraday to James Clark   8 April 1848

R Institution | 8 April 1848.

My dear Sir James

My feeling has ever been that the College of Chemistry should be solely devoted to the teaching of chemistry; that the Members should have no other object, and in consideration of their subscriptions should consider success in that object as a full return. They should refuse all personal advantage & therefore analysis or any other occupations for the time & attention of the Director or the pupils (aside from teaching & research for the good of chemistry as a whole) should not be undertaken. The idea that the members should have privileges is derogatory to the purity of their motives & I really believe inconsistent with the character & success of the college, which if it stands at all must stand upon the basis of high feeling and utility. If you can help it pray do not let it enter into the list of bodies which fight for an existence by fits of expediency shifting from day to day[.]

At the same time I think the College should not be made a greater burden on the members than is really necessary. There has been too much pretence about it, & as far as I can judge the house in Hanover Square is both a great expence & unseemly. One knows that it can be of no real use to the teaching of chemistry & if not it is worse than a burden for it substitutes an appearance for that which ought to be altogether reality ¹.

I especially like pp 15, 16, 17, & 18, of your paper also pp 21, & 22.

I am My dear Sir James | Ever Truly Yours | M. Faraday

Sir Jas. Clarke Bart | &c &c &c