George Wingrove Cooke to Faraday   12 May 1853¹

Sir,

Will you pardon the intrusion of a stranger who really has no excuse for his inroad upon your time except the claim which literature sometimes is allowed to have on science[.]

I am writing an article for the New Quarterly Review² upon the history of the Rapping Spirit humbug and I am disturbed by facts or pretended facts like the inclosed. The little scientific knowledge which I do possess tends to the conclusion that these “facts” are utterly inconsistent with all the laws that make up Electricity & Magnetism[.]

Might I trespass upon you as far as to ask whether there is any thing at all possible in these statements. Of course I shall make no use of any answer which you may favor me except to take from it my own tone in dealing with this department of the subject - unless indeed you should expressly authorise me to make this use of it.

Perhaps you would kindly return me the extracts enclosed[.]

I remain Sir | Your very faithful servant | Geo Wingrove Cooke

2 Brick Court, Temple | 12 May 1853