Faraday to John Stevens Henslow   5 November 1853

Royal Institution | 5 Novr. 1853

My dear Henslow

I send you first a bottle containing Sodium. If it is turbid (the liquid) when you get it, let it rest quietly & the liquor will become clear & you will see some of the globules of sodium as metals very well I think. Do not open the bottle or the preparation will be spoiled, it is 30 years or more old[.]

As for potassium I have been in the habit in lecture[s] of placing a moderately clean piece about the size of a pea between two thick glass plates

then pressing the plates together with a little lateral motion added till the potassium is spread out as large as a shilling and holding the plates together with clips of bent copper. Somewhere the potassium will shew itself metallic & keep so under the glass for some hours[.]

As to the wires, there is some fine copper drawn to 1/350 of inch - some fine platina drawn to 1/216 of inch - 2 reels of Platina in silver the platina being 1/1000 and 1/2000 of inch[.] If you hold the ends of these in the side of a candle flame you may melt down the silver & shew the platina as the specimens will shew you. The platina is then best shewn to a company by letting it glow as an ignited body in the flame only the 1/2000 will melt in the candle unless care be taken[.]

There are also two cards containing like specimens of platina respectively the 1/10000 1/20000 1/30000 of an inch in diameter. Here you want a glass to see them[.]

I have put in some pieces of Gilt silver wire & silver copper wire but here the covering metal is thick. I cannot get at any others[.]

I must ask you to return the *Sodium & the *fine wires on cards & *reel. I am sorry I cannot leave them with you[.]

Ever My dear Henslow | Yours Truly | M. Faraday

I send this note by Post & the other things as a packet by the rail | MF