William Thomas Knollys to Faraday   9 January 1863

Sandringham. | 9 Jany. 1863

Dear Sir

I am directed by the Prince of Wales to acknowledge the receipt of your letter1 conveying the request of the Authorities of the Royal Institution that His Royal Highness would allow himself to be elected as its Vice Patron in the room of his lamented Father2.

His Royal Highness has desired me to say that it will be a great gratification to him to fill so distinguished a post and to occupy a position filled by that beloved Parent however unequal His Royal Highness may feel to take his place. It will be no less satisfactory to him to be in any manner associated with the interests of Science - And His Royal Highness has commanded me particularly to assure you of the peculiar pleasure it will give him to meet you again where he has listened to you before3 and derived so much instruction from your lectures4[.]

I have the honor to remain, | dear Sir, | very truly yours | W. Knollys

2
The Prince of Wales was elected an Honorary Member and Vice Patron in 19 January 1863. RI MS GM, 19 January 1863, 6: 493-7.
3
The Prince of Wales attended Faraday’s 1855-6 Christmas Lectures on the ‘Distinctive Properties of Common Metals’ (Prince of Wales to Faraday, 16 January 1856, letter 3071, volume 5) and two of his lectures the following year (The Times, 1 January 1857, p.6, col.e and 9 January 1857, p.7, col.a).
4
This letter was copied into RI MM, 12 January 1863, 11: 456-7.

Please cite as “Faraday4286,” in Ɛpsilon: The Michael Faraday Collection accessed on 27 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/faraday/letters/Faraday4286