William Thomas Brande to Faraday   19 May 1855

Tunbridge Wells | 19 May 1855

Dear Faraday

Many thanks for your prompt attention to my request. It has enabled me to gratify the curiosity of an intelligent friend here, and who, being a great Microscopist, said nothing about the smallness of the sample. When sodium can be had for half a crown a pound, I presume Aluminium may be produced for five shillings so that perhaps at no very distant period, it may be better known - and the next generation may see roofs covered with it1.

If your wife has not forgotten the existence of such a person, remember me kindly to her and believe me

My dear Faraday | always & very truly yours | Wm Thos Brande.

If you will be good enough to leave the 8vo Volume 2 in the Hall, I will call or send for it in the course of next week - in the mean time accept my best thanks for your kind remembrance of your old Colleague.

1
A reference to the recent development by which aluminium could be obtained easily and its consequent comparative cheapness. On this see McConnell (1989).
2
Faraday (1855d).

Bibliography

FARADAY, Michael (1855d): Experimental Researches in Electricity, volume 3, London.

McCONNELL, Anita (1989): “Aluminium and its Alloys for Scientific Instruments, 1855-1900”, Ann. Sci., 46: 611-20.

Please cite as “Faraday2983,” in Ɛpsilon: The Michael Faraday Collection accessed on 1 May 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/faraday/letters/Faraday2983