Faraday to Christian Friedrich Schoenbein   27 March 1860

Royal Institution | 27 March 1860

My dear Schoenbein

It seems to me a long while since we have spoken together, & I know that the blame is mine, but I cannot help it, only regret it, though I can certainly try to bring the fault to an end. When I want to write to you it seems as if only nonsense would come to mind - & yet it is not nonsense to think of past friendship and dear communions. When I try to write of science it comes back to me in confusion. I do not remember the order of things - or even the facts themselves. I do not remember what you last told me¹ though I think I sent it to the Phil Mag & had it printed² - & if I try to remember up, it becomes too much the head gets giddy and the mental view only the more confused. I know you do not want me to labour in vain but I do not like to seem forgetful of what you tell me and the only relief I have at such times is to correct myself & believe that you will know the forgetfulness is involuntary. After all though your science is much to me we are not friends for science sake only but for something better in a man something more important in his nature, affection, kindness good feeling moral worth and so in remembrance of these I now write to place myself in your presence and in thought shake hands tongues & hearts together.

We are all pretty well here. We get on well enough in a manner & are very happy - and I cannot wish you better things; though I have no intention when I say that to imagine you without your memory or your science:- long may you be privileged to use them for the good of human nature.

Our friend Miss Hornblower suffers very much from an affection of the knee of which I spoke before to you³. Lately she has seen Sir Benjamin Brodie who does not make himself responsible for advising an amputation,- he says it is a case so serious that the Profession ought not to be made responsible for the results of an operation. Whilst going there I have several times gone into a place of rest in that neighbourhood to look at a stone you know of & think of you all. Such places draw my thoughts much now & have for years had great interest for me. They are not to me mere places of the dead but full of the greatest hope that is set before man even in the very zenith of his physical power & mental force.

But perhaps I disturb you in calling your loss to mind - forgive me. Yet remember me very kindly to the mother & sisters.

Ever My dear Schoenbein | Yours Affectionately | M. Faraday

Address: Dr. Schoenbein | &c &c &c | University | Basle | Switzerland