Faraday to Jean-Baptiste-André Dumas   6 November 1851

Royal Institution | 6 November 1851

My dear & kind friend

I hope you will not be startled at my presumption but I had formed the rather ambitious thought of endeavouring (if you should sanction it) to convey to our Members at one of the Friday Evening meetings an idea of the remarkable and important views which you developed to us in some degree at Ipswich¹ and first I have to ask you whether such a proceeding would be agreeable to you or whether for any reason or feeling you would rather I should not do it.

But in the next place if you see no reason against it but on the contrary are willing to let me touch so fine a subject before our members then I am obliged to confess to you that I feel greatly startled in finding how much of that which you communicated to us & to myself personally my decaying memory has allowed to escape and though I have the sheet of paper on which you wrote me down a few pencil figures & a few rough lines and also the journal accounts of your discourse at Ipswich yet they do not sufficiently clear up my recollections to enable me to do that which I want to do well.

And so my boldness extends to this. If in the first place it is agreeable to you that I should do it then have you any papers MS or other that you could lend to me giving me an account of the results whether deduced from change of volume or of soluble or progression of character or equivalent numbers &c &c and the probabilities arrived at as the conclusion. As our audience though they contain I am happy to say many high philosophers consist chiefly of persons who though gentlemen of high & liberal education are still not exclusively scientific (500 or 600 persons being present perhaps) so I generally introduce an experiment or two to make them quickly comprehend any point which is under consideration:- As for instance in speaking of the progression of Chlorine Bromine & iodine in reference to your views I should shew them these bodies but such helps I could arrange and do not wish to trouble you about experiments unless indeed you have some which have occurred to yourself as fit illustrations. As to diagrams or curves I am at a loss for the few lines I have do not now recall my memory except very vaguely to that which they represent[.]

Now I think I have said enough to frighten you[.] If I could obtain possession of the matter and give the subject well I should be greatly honoured in the doing of it but I should not like to put you to too much trouble. Any papers you may trust me with I will most carefully return and use them with every reservation that you may desire. If there is any thing yet published about them and you favour my proposition send me a reference to it. The evening would be in the middle or end of next January, but I should like to have possession of the matter (if I gave it) by or before the beginning of the next year that I may study it well. Our kindest remembrances to Madam Dumas also to M. Dumas your Son & to Madam Edwards².

Ever My dear friend, Yours faithfully | M. Faraday

Monsieur Dumas | &c &c &c

Address: A Monsieur | Monsieur Dumas | &c &c &c | Rue de Vaugirade | Faubourg St. Germain | à Paris