Faraday to John Tyndall   28 July 1857

Royal Institution, | 28 July, 1857.

My dear Tyndall,

I received your very welcome letter¹ just on our return from Derbyshire², and thank you heartily for its news. So far you seem to have gone on well, i.e. increasing in health and spirits. I trust it will be so, and that your pursuit of nature and her truth will be such a labour of love as to bring health to both body and mind. So you are at Chamouni, and on the ice, and likely to meet Forbes there. I am not sorry for it. I have trust enough in you as to believe that two such men as yourself, though you may have differed on some conclusions, cannot meet in the face of nature, with like love of truth, without advantage. I shall hope the best. You both have a very important witness and mistress to refer to in nature, and I know she will favour the most right minded.

Since you were at Paris, I have had a very pleasant letter from Biot³. It would give you a just pleasure to know the terms in which he speaks of you. What a fine old man he is! I am very glad that you saw him, and that he has seen you.

We have no news just now, except about drains and painting and such like matters⁴. The house is in such a state that I cannot work, and if it were in order, I am too weary. Perhaps I ought to say, too lazy. All I know is that I feel tired in creeping up stairs, and find the sofa and a book the best things for me.

We have many foreigners, visitors here. De Vry⁵ [sic] has shewn himself, and is now off for Java. Soret⁶ of Geneva is here. He brought me a letter from De la Rive⁷, speaking of your visit to him. The brothers Schlagintweit⁸ from India are here also, as wiry and active as ever; there is no wearing out about them, and they bring me excellent accounts of Humboldt.

You see what poor things I have to tell you about; but great is nature and will prevail. I wish I had a little Schönbein power, and then you should have some letters fit to class as such. But indeed you do not want to be teased with many. All things are well as they are, if we would only be content.

My dear wife and niece desire their kindest remembrances and wishes. You know we are of one mind in these thoughts towards you. I am glad to hear you are able to have your friend with you⁹. I hope it will be some comfort to him, and some pleasure to you. Pray make my sincere respects to him. I have no right to intrude with sympathy, but I do feel deeply for his loss.

Ever, my dear Tyndall, | Most truly yours, | M. Faraday