Faraday to Carlo Matteucci   14 January 1859

Royal Institution | London | 14 January 1859.

My dear Matteucci

I have just had your last letter well written letter (they are always welcome though I have to spell them out) (as I dare say is also the case with you and mine) and I hasten to answer the query contained in it. When Melloni¹ sent me a long letter about his views of induction (Static)² and I think before he had published any thing I wrote him also at length answering the cases he laid before me according to my view & so shewing him that I could not accept his³. I do not think the letter was ever published certainly not by me and now my memory is not clear I think I never received any further communication from him but one in reply from his friend the Secretary of the Society of Naples⁴, not in answer to my letter, but acknowledging it & telling me of the death of poor Melloni⁵. I do not know that Melloni had communicated or published my letter, which was altogether meant for his own consideration[.]

I had a letter from Palagi the other day⁶. I thought he had been at Pisa but I find it is Bologna - It contained some simple questions which I thought he would have asked at you if you had been within reach of each other[.]

Having nothing more to say I will not waste more with or more of your time & patience with the bad writing than to say with kindest remembrances to Mad Matteucci that I am as ever Truly Yours | M. Faraday

Many thank[s] for the Cimento which arrives regularly. | MF