Faraday to Hans Christian Oersted   15 March 1850

Royal Institution | London | 15 March 1850

My dear Sir

I received your very kind letter 2 or 3 weeks ago¹ and was very greatly gratified that you should remember me. Since then I have waited in hopes I should see Mr. Colding² your friend. But as I have heard not of him and leave town in a few day[s] I thought I would not longer delay writing a word or two in acknowledgement of yours. This is a time of the year in which formal matters occupy me so much that (together with a system soon wearied) they prevent me from working to any good purpose so that I have little or nothing to say. I have it is true sent a paper to the Royal Society two or three months ago which was read lately³ and in it I describe my failure to produce the results of Weber Reich & some others or (of such as were produced) my reference of them to other principles of action than those they had adopted. This branch of science is at present in a very active & promising state[.] Many men (and amongst them yourself) are working at it and it is not wonderful that views differ at first. Time will gradually sift & shape them & I believe that we have little idea at present of the importance they may have 10 or 20 years hence[.]

As soon as my paper is printed I shall send it to you and I hope with copies of those you have not received. I thought I had sent you all in order, for it was to me a delight to think I might do so. I do not know what can have come in the way of them, but if I have copies left you shall have them with the next paper[.]

I am constrained to make this letter a short one as much through the paucity of matter as the want of time. Hoping it will find you in excellent health

I am My dear Sir | Your very Obliged & faithful | Servant - | M. Faraday

Professor Oersted | &c &c &c