Faraday to George Buchanan   16 August 1848

Royal Institution | 16 Aug 1848

My dear friend & brother

Your great loss¹ moves me to write a few words at once though they may almost seem to intrude upon your so recent grief but your loss is ours also and we may surely at such moments feel drawn together to open our hearts one to another. In the world what is there that can comfort for the loss of a dear companion & partner; but if the hope we profess be in us how different is our case. The very loss itself is but a step onward in that chain of events which he who rules all things according to the counsel of his own will², ordains to bring forth that state which we I pray & trust jointly desire & look forward to. How surely does the death of any one in the Church of Christ make manifest to those that remain his everlasting mercies in his power to keep them unto the end & so give them boldness to resist the adversary of their souls by the faith which is in him & which giveth them the victory³. Dear Brother, I write not these things to comfort you for I am persuaded that your heart & mind has gone at once to the words which the Apostle desires we should use to comfort each other: but I write that I may be joined with you & your Brother William & your wives & all our brethren in sympathy for this great present loss. How many will mourn it & his poor wife⁴[.] I hardly know how to think she will bear it but I hope that by degrees a resigned mind will be granted her. Yet a little while & all these tears will be taken away for though sorrow endure for a night yet joy cometh in the morning⁵[.]

I know that my dear wife is about to write to Charlotte⁶ and I think I might join her with me in all that I say but I could not resist writing a few lines at once that I might as it were meet you in spirit and say Brother let us be comforted. I may join myself with you in this for your Brother was a dear friend to me & a faithful one. I would write to Mr. William but that to repeat what I am saying to you would perhaps be an affectation for I cannot help but feel that in these few lines I am writing to both as one. Will you be my interpreter with him?

Ever My very dear Brother & Sister | Your Affectionate | M. Faraday

My dear love to Margery I am very glad indeed she is with you at this moment | MF