Faraday to Thomas Bell   13 January 1852

Royal Institution | Jany. 13, 1852

My dear Bell

I do not see that I need alter my report¹. Lloyd I perceive gives up practically², i.e as respects real magnets, both the idea of resultant poles and also the law of the inverse square of the distance, and if all were like him, then indeed Harris’ paper would be superfluous, except as a proof that experiment & theory agreed. But there are many who are of opinion that the law of the inverse square of the distance is the true law of magnetic action[.] Tyndall & others for instance who have been working and publishing very lately³. Now Harris probably feels that that is no law which does not apply to the near intervals, which are perhaps the most important intervals in determining the true nature of magnetic action and that one might as well say that the revolution of a parabola produces a cone neglecting the consideration of all the parts about the focus which are the best fitted to make manifest the truth. As long, therefore, as the law of the inverse square of the distance is assented in an unqualified manner he may feel bound to offer experimental proof to the contrary. In these remarks I am not putting myself either in the place of Harris or Lloyd and I think if I were Harris I should like to know of Lloyd’s letter and reconsider what modification such admissions as it contains might require but whether that is proper or not I cannot say. I perceive that the hope I have expressed in the first of the two papers of mine that you now have⁴, that the apparently contrary results of Harris and others will be reconciled & coalesce⁵ is near upon being fulfilled[.]

Ever My dear Bell | Truly Yours | M. Faraday