Faraday to Benjamin Collins Brodie   17 December 1849

Royal Institution | 17 Decr. 1849

My dear Brodie

I owe you many & sincere thanks for your kind note¹. As to your letter to the Secretary² which was of course read to the Managers³, it contained so absolute a negative on your part to their request⁴ that every body felt there was no more to say upon the matter. The Secretary might & very probably by this time has acknowledged the receipt of it[.]

And now my dear Sir though it was this affair that chiefly made you & me known to each other and though it has ended otherwise than I hoped still I shall not as regards ourselves let matters return to their former state. I hope much from you and shall as long as I remain in life look with expectation & I trust rejoicing to your course[.] If any word from me is of the least value as a word of encouragement or exhortation; I say proceed, advance.

Here things have reverted very much to their former state & I rather think perhaps fitly. The time was probably too soon for any change. But when such an one as myself gets out of the way then new conditions, new men, new views, and new opportunities; may allow of the development of other lines of active operation than those heretofore in service; and then perhaps will be the time for change.

Ever My dear Sir | Very Truly Yours | M. Faraday

B.C. Brodie Esq | &c &c &c