Jacob Bell to Faraday   2 June 18591

15 Langham Place | June 2, 1859

My dear Dr Faraday

I have the works of John Gould2 F.R.S. from the commencement up to the present time3. Understanding that the Library of the Royal Institution is not provided with these works I am desirous of offering them as a donation.-

The volumes up to a certain period are bound, and I regret my inability to inclued [sic] the entire works in the same state, but I find on enquiry that three of the works are still in progress & therefore not yet in a condition for binding.-

As the state of my health gives me no prospect of living to see the works completed4, and I could not impose on my Executors an indefinite trouble and responsibility, I have only the alternative of requesting you to accept on behalf of the Institution all that it is in my power to give.

I remain | My dear Dr Faraday | Yours very Sincerely | Jacob Bell

Professor Faraday D.CL. FRS. &c

1
Jacob Bell (1810-1859, ODNB). Pharmacist.
2
John Gould (1804-1881, ODNB). Ornithologist.
3
Gould (1834, 1836, 1837, 1838, 1845-58, 1848, 1849-58, 1850, 1850-9, 1851-5, 1854, 1858). These are the references as given in RI MM, 6 June 1859, 11: 286-7 which notes acceptance of the gift. See Sauer (1982), 13-86 for a detailed bibliography of Gould’s works.
4
Bell died on 12 June 1859.

Bibliography

SAUER, Gordon C. (1982): John Gould the Bird Man: A Chronology and Bibliography, London.

Please cite as “Faraday3599,” in Ɛpsilon: The Michael Faraday Collection accessed on 26 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/faraday/letters/Faraday3599