1891.] The Faraday Centenary. 479 



The Duke of Northumberland then asked tlie meeting to express 

 its sense of the kindness of his Royal Highness in presiding, and 

 said he had permission to read two letters written many years ago, 

 proving how keen was the interest taken by him in the lessons he 

 had received from Faraday. The letters were as follows, the 

 first being addressed to Mr. Faraday, and the second to Mrs. Faraday 

 on the occasion of her husband's death : — 



"Windsor Castle, 16 January, 1856. 

 Dear Sir, 



I am anxious to thank you for the advantage I have derived 

 from attending your most interesting lectures. Their subject, I 

 now feel, is of great importance. I hope to follow the advice you 

 gave us of pursuing it beyond the lecture room, and I can assure 

 you that I shall always cherish with great pleasure the recollection 

 of having been assisted in my early studies in chemistry by so dis- 

 tinguished a man. 



Believe me, dear sir, yours truly, 



Albert Edward. 



Wiesbaden, 10 September, 1867. 

 Dear Mrs. Faraday, 



Although I have not the pleasure of knowing you, I cannot 

 resist sending you a few lines to tell you how deeply grieved and 

 distressed I am to hear of the death of your husband. Professor 

 Faraday. Having had the great pleasure of knowing him for some 

 years, and having heard his interesting lectures already when quite 

 a boy, I can fully appreciate how great the loss must be, not only 

 to you, but to the whole country at large, where his name was 

 deeply venerated by all classes. His name will not only be remem- 

 bered as a great and distinguished scientific man, but also as a 

 good man, whose excellent and amiable qualities were so universally 

 known. Pardon my trespassing so soon on your great grief, and 

 Believe me, dear Mrs. Faraday, yours very sincerely, 



Albert Edward. 



The Duke of Northumberland continued : He thought they would 

 all agree that that was a touching letter of condolence. His Royal 

 Highness had now long been a patron of the Institution, and had 

 watched its progress with interest, which he hoped would be con- 

 tinued. He trusted that his Royal Highness would have the gratifi- 

 cation of seeing the country prosper long under the rule of his 

 august family, and of seeing the benefits of science resulting in the 

 increased happiness of the people. 



Sir W. Grove seconded the resolution, and said he was possibly 

 the only one in the room who had known Faraday in his prime. 



