Faraday to Adolph Ferdinand Svanberg   16 August 1850¹

Royal Institution | 16 Aug 1850

My dear Sir

I cannot resist my desire to write at once & to thank you for the great pleasure your letter² (received yesterday) gave me first as coming from you whom my bad memory well retained in mind³ and next for the delight which the facts therein described occasioned. They came with the force of truth and are very beautiful & consistent.

How wonderful it is to see the simplicity of nature when we rightly interpret her laws and how different the convictions which they produce on the mind in comparison with the uncertain conclusions which hypothesis or even theory present.

I am not sorry that you find some things unexpected or curious or a little anomalous, for they serve to shew that there are more treasures to be obtained & I see from your letter that you both know how to work for them & will work. The earnest ardent experimentalist is ever rewarded for his labour.

I have got some fancies in my head but they will require a good deal of development & elaboration before I dare venture to trust them forth. Nevertheless I am in hopes they will be fruitful in due time if health be spared me. But the head becomes giddy[.]

Ever my dear Sir | Your Obliged & faithful Servant | M. Faraday

M. Svanberg | &c &c &c

Address: Dr. A.J. Svanberg | &c &c &c | Upsala | Sweden