Faraday to Christian Friedrich Schoenbein   October 1857¹

My dear Scho<<enbein>>

I got as far as Stamford <<Hill>> [MS torn] < <to>> day (which I very rarely do) and can [MS torn] a better reminder of the fitness of writing to you. Poor as I may be in subject matter yet a daughter and your daughter is surely quite enough. She looked very well & I was very glad to see her so contented happy and cheerful. When she first came to this country I was very much frightened least the experiment should fail for that would have been no trifle but now all anxiety of that kind is over[.] It was impossible but that all her views of life society and manners should have been formed upon her experience & habits of home & her own country and I felt sure that much of what is good amongst us must have been hidden from her for a time by the novelty of the customs manners & occupation she would find here. But she is a girl of sense and I think was not long in passing through the show & form of things to the reality beneath. As far as I can see the reality has not been [MS torn] her and of [MS torn] <<Eng>>lishman feel proud & as [MS torn] very glad. However I dare say you know her mind in all these things far better than I can do. What I can see is that she seems happy in things as they are and growing in the estimation of those around her. Indeed there are many points in which I who am at a distance can see she is an example to all around her such as her judgment, her steadiness of purpose, her conscience of things, her toleration of the judgments of others, her truthfulness & her propriety & many others which make the basis of a good mental character. She appeared to be very well. I wish I could see more of her amongst us but the bad & uncertain state of my wife’s health & her little strength is a great barrier to our desires.

I cannot just now remember what were the last points of philosophy which you sent me or even those of my own which are worth speaking of to you. I work very slowly now I want to proceed with action at a distance and from [MS torn] forgetting [MS torn] over I hope [MS torn] exertion - we shall see.

Commend me to Mrs. Schoenbein: even the poor talk I have given you about her daughter will incline her a little towards me. Say I hope, she will receive her back some day or another and find reason to be not less proud of her than she ever has been:- even when she was a baby[.]

Ever My dear Schoenbein | Very affectionately Yours | M. Faraday