Faraday to Carl Ludwig Christian Becker1   19 August 18572

[Royal Institution embossed letterhead]

Mr Faraday forgot to tell Mr Becker that all the upper part of the lime light that could reflect light from the ignited lime in any direction has to be made dull black with lamp black & size - just as telescopic interiors are blackened so that there is no occasion to finish them highly or lacquer them - Even the upper face of the stand ought to be blackened as the lime light apparatus will be which Mr. Becker saw at the Royal Institution[.]

RI. Wednesday. | 20 Aug[u]st

1
Carl Ludwig Christian Becker (1821–1875, Month.Not.Roy.Ast.Soc., 1876, 36: 136-7). German born scientific instrument maker who moved to London in 1849.
2
This letter is dated on the basis that Faraday had just ordered a limelight from Becker for some experiments. Faraday, Diary, 17 August 1857, 7: 15605-12, especially 15611. For Faraday’s view of his mental state at this time see Faraday to Barlow, 19 August 1857, letter 3329, volume 5.

Please cite as “Faraday3329a,” in Ɛpsilon: The Michael Faraday Collection accessed on 27 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/faraday/letters/Faraday3329a