Faraday to Ernst Becker   25 October 1860

The Green | Hampton Court | 25th October 1860

My dear Dr. Becker

It was a great delight to me to receive your very pleasant and affectionate letter last month¹. It told us so much about your proceedings & concerns, as to shew that you knew we had a very strong interest in all you were doing, and were likely to do; and it has given great pleasure to Dr. Bence Jones and some other friends, besides. First I rejoice that you have your mother² with you, and I cannot help imagining all the interest she will feel in hearing of your doing, and looking at you, & realizing the change and improvement that some years have made. A mother must make something of a home to you; and by home I imagine an arrangement very different to a Palace. You must have had a strong feeling for home joys & happiness:- for the calm & peace of such a place, to leave a Palace for the hopes of it; especially when that Palace was one where you were esteemed so highly[.] I think the very feelings that induced you to make the change will help to create that home at last which will be the reward to you for it. Well, whatever change you may make in your life, we shall not alter in our thoughts about you.

I have been greatly interested in reading your account of your proceedings, at Bonn, Heidelberg, & Giessen. I am not competent to form an opinion of the best mode of pursuing science in Germany by a German mind; but the advice of Buff³ is that which would soonest fall in with my own thoughts and ways. I could not imagine much progress by reading only, without the experimental facts & trials which could be suggested by the reading. I was never able to make a fact my own without seeing it;- and the descriptions of the best works altogether failed to convey to my mind, such a knowledge of things as to allow myself to form a judgment upon them. It was so with new things. If Grove, or Wheatstone, or Gassiot, or any other told me a new fact & wanted my opinion, either of its value, or the cause, or the evidence it could give in any subject, I never could say any thing until I had seen the fact. For the same reason I never could work, as some Professors do most extensively, by students or pupils. All the work had to be my own. I know very well that my mind is particularly constituted; that it is deficient in appreciation: and, further, that the difficulty is made greater by a failing memory. Nevertheless you will understand how my thoughts fall in with Buffs opinion; and how terrified I should be to set about learning Science from Books only. However, what we call accident has, in my life had much to do with the matter; for I had to work & prepare for others before I had earned the privilege of working for myself, and I have no doubt that was my great instruction and introduction into physical science.

You have seen many of my friends. When you see them again, or any who think kindly of me, commend me to them. I long to know more of Scientific men than I do; but I dare not try to increase my privileges in that direction by writing, for such an occupation soon grows up, & then becomes too large for my head to carry. I am indeed even beginning to be sorrowful in reading, because I cannot store up what I read;- cannot keep it in remembrance.

Our friends here are I think pretty well. Dr. Bence Jones has only lately returned from the Continent. Tyndall is at home & well at work. Wheatstone, Gassiot, &c I see little of just now. I heard that Sir Benj Brodie thought of giving up the Presidency of the Royal Society, but cannot say⁴.

I feel as if I were leaving much unsaid in this letter, but it w<<ill>> not come to mind. I do not forget you & all your kindness. Nor does my wife & Niece who send their kindest remembrances.

Believe me to be | My dear Dr Becker | Ever faithfully Yours | M. Faraday

Address: Dr. E. Becker | &c &c &c | Heidelberg | (in Waldhom) | Baden