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Faraday to Jacob Herbert   16 September 1848

16 Aug [sic] 1848 | Royal Instit

My dear Sir

A parabola is only effectual in reflecting rays or undulations regularly that issue from places near to the focus & the space that can be thus fitly occupied by a light or a sounding body must be small as compared to the Parabola:- as in the Trinity lamp & reflector. I expect that such a parabola as that of which you send me a sketch1 would only act as a box to the bell and would deaden the sound rather than increase it2.

I am | My dear Sir | Most Truly Yours | M. Faraday

J. Herbert Esq | &c &c

2
This letter was read to the Trinity House By Board (Minutes, 19 September 1848, GL MS 30010/36, p.86). They referred it to the Deputy Master and Wardens. See Trinity House Wardens Committee Minutes, 26 September 1848, GL MS 30025/19, p.52 which noted that this letter was laid before them.

Please cite as “Faraday2106,” in Ɛpsilon: The Michael Faraday Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/faraday/letters/Faraday2106