Faraday to Edward Sabine   11 December 1850

Brighton¹ | 53 King’s Road | 11 Decr. 1850

My dear Sabine

I received your packet with many thanks to you for it, this morning all seems quite safe though the parcel came open in the Mail. The little magnet appears to be in perfect order[.] I perceive it is for me and I must thank you as well as M. Haecker² for it[.] Will you do me the favour when you next write to say how much I feel indebted to M. Haecker for it. As to the amount of strength in large magnets I still have the impression that the person at Harlaem [sic] produces them of twice the strength given by the formula of M Haecker but I cannot tell until I reach home³[.]

In reference to Mr. Thomson’s letter I gave Newman the instructions for preparing the Glass globe as we agreed & I hope he will soon have it ready for the oscillations at Woolwich as you proposed. My own power of working will now be limited as the Season comes on but still I am pushing forward the construction of a differential torsion balance & making drawings for it here & I hope by that to settle many points that are of importance to me[.]

As regards the apparent intensity of the needle that I think ought to be affected by the matter gas or solution surrounding the needle but as respects the variations I think it is very rarely the direct action which affects them but an indirect one like very many of the actions which we have in Static electricity where power exerted in one place is made to affect indirectly the results on another. All forces of tension shew this kind of action which is remarkably in contrast in this respect with the force of Gravity ⁴.

I presume that Mr. Thompson [sic] may refer to any thing in the papers. It is probably the magnecrystallic results which I shewed him that he wants⁵[.]

Ever my dear Sir | Yours faithfully | M. Faraday

Coll. Sabine RA | &c &c &c