Faraday to John Gibson Macvicar   13 December 1853¹

Royal Institution | 13 Decr. 1853

Dear Sir

I am much obliged to you for your paper having received it at the same time with your letter[.] I cannot however give you my opinion for the older I grow the more reserved I become in drawing conclusions. Even in the simplest case a conclusion should be drawn only after consideration of all the data connected with the question and these are constantly so numerous, that my mind does not willingly engage itself in the labour necessary except in especial investigations of my own.

I do not know how your view would agree with the researches of Regnault who in experiments of many hours (and I think days) continuance and conducted apparently in the most careful manner found no difference when dogs & other animals were made to live & breathe in atmospheres consisting of Oxygen and Hydrogen only all the Nitrogen being removed & replaced by hydrogen. His results were published in a quarto volume a few years since²[.]

I am My dear Sir | Very Truly Yours | M. Faraday

Revd. Dr MacVicar | &c &c &c