William Henry Fox Talbot to Faraday   15 June 1851

M. Faraday Esq

Lacock Abbey, Chippenham | June 15/51

Dear Sir

The important experiment tried yesterday at the Royal Instn. succeed[e]d perfectly. A printed paper was fastened to a disk, which was then made to revolve as rapidly as possible. The battery was discharged, and on opening ye Camera it was found to have received an impression. The image of the printed letters was just as sharp as if the disk had been motionless. I am not aware of this experiment having ever been made before. I should be happy to repeat it in the presence of some of our Scientific friends, but I wish first to obtain effects on a greater scale of development and therefore I should be very glad if you would devise means of augmenting the brilliancy of the flash. Two methods occur to me which I submit for your judgment. <¹> Professor Hare² of America says that if a flat coil of copper ribbons is placed in the circuit the spark from a Leyden jar is greatly increased in brilliancy. Supposing this to be equally true of a battery, would it not be desirable to adopt it?

<³> If the battery discharge were taken thro’ a tube lined spirally with pieces of tinfoil (one of which is at the R. Instn.) would not the total effect of these numerous sparks light up the room more than the single discharge does?

If a truly instantaneous photographic representation of an object has never been obtained before (as I imagine that it has not) I am glad it should have been first accomplished at the Royal Instn⁴.

Believe me | Dear Sir | Ever truly yours | H.F. Talbot