Faraday to William Thomson   12 January 1850

R Institution | 12 Jany 1850

My dear Sir

I have received your papers¹ & note² & thank you heartily for them[.] The experiment & whole course of reasoning on the freezing point of water is most interesting. I remember in old times Mr. Perkins³ had an idea that he could freeze water Acetic acid &c at a higher temperature under pressure than at common pressures⁴ it is therefore the more striking on my mind to find the contrary to be the real truth[.] I have not read the papers as yet & therefore do not know whether the reasoning is general or not for all bodies, so I may be asking a foolish question in asking whether according to the theory the same results ought to occur with all bodies - as for instance with Glacial Acetic acid Spermaceti &c &c[.]

Ice is a body larger in volume than water so it might seem that if we could compress ice it might tend to squeeze it into water or else require a lower temperature to keep it as ice[.] What would be the effect with a body which instead of expanding should contract in solidifying?

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

W. Thomson Esq | &c &c &c