48 Faraday, Corrcspondcticc of Lt.-Col. J. L. Philips. 



wish. Had my son been net;lectful of his business or wasteful of liis proiK-iry, 

 but especially had he in any instance stooped to mean and fraudulent 

 practices I had then most assuredly been a wretched parent. But while I receive 

 such honourable testimonies to the propriety of his conduct which have 

 been given me by you and other respected characters, who, for several past 

 years have observed him with attention, I must be unreasonable indeed, not 

 to find myself essentially relieved. The generous manner in which my son's 

 creditors behave towards him under his present embarrassments is the strongest 

 testimony they can give of their ajijirobation of his past behaviour, and creates 

 hopes of his future better success which cannot be resisted. The kind 

 intention which for yourself and brother you have expressed of rendering him 

 seivice when he shall enter in business again demands my most grateful 

 acknowledgments. I know what lasting impression your friendship will 

 make on Meadows' heart. I'oor fellow ! he is neither deficient in the milk 

 of human nature, nor in those virtues which it requires an habitual energy of 

 mind to practice ; intelligence, & activity in business he is generally allowed to 

 possess, and never was he addicted to any species of extravagant expense. I will 

 therefore cheerfully embrace that hope, which you so kindly offer me, that with 

 these properties, under the guidance of his own dear bought experience, and 

 the good counsel of yourself and other sincere it intelligent friends, that he 

 may still be .so far established in the world as to support himself ifc family in 

 respectability and comfort, though he should never arrive at a state of 

 affluence. I expect him and his family here very shortly to pass a few weeks 

 with us. What a comfort it is to me that the Dublin merchants speak most 

 respectfully of his conduct I't- that he owes little, if anything to his 

 correspondents here. 



I am much concerned to hear of the declining health of my old .l" much 

 respected friend Dr. Barnes.* Dr Ed^- I'ercival gives me freciuent reports of 

 his situation, which with respect to this world appears hopeless indeed. He 

 will however leave a good name behind him whenever he goes. I suppose 

 his uncommon abstinence from wine arose much from the singular bodily 

 infirmity he carried with him from childhood, and which increased with years. 



Accept, my dear Sir, my best regards and good wishes and present them 



to your good lady & your brother. Mrs Taylor, who sensibly feels with me 



the kindness of your last letter desires to unite her respects to you & all your 



family with mine. 



Believe me your affectionate & much grateful friend 



PI I. TAYLOR. 

 The next letter was, to judge from the handwriting, 

 written with the left hand ; Meadows Taylor had appar- 

 ently broken his right arm. The postscript refers to 

 Napoleon's disastrous retreat from Moscow, the " Cormor- 

 ant" being, of course, the Emperor Napoleon, who occupied 



*This is probably the Rev. Thomas Barnes, D.D., one of the founders 

 of this Society. 



