Faraday to Charles Dickson Archibald   17 December 1850¹

Brighton | 17 Decr. 1850

My dear Sir

I expect to be in Town at the end of this week & shall be very happy to see you & your friend next week at your convenience.

I think I told you that your friend could not be the discoverer that hydrogen was water & Negative Electricity & Oxygen water & P. Electricity for the idea is old & belongs to De la Rive and moreover it has been very fully canvassed by philosophers & rejected[.]

If your friend did not know this I am afraid that there is a great deal more in the common stock of knowledge that he is not acquainted with for it was published in all the French & English Scientific Journals of the time[.]

Ever Truly Yours | M. Faraday

C.D. Archibald Esq | &c &c &c

Address: C.D. Archibald Esq | &c &c &c | 15, Portland Place | London