XIV 



m. 28 (1820). 



This year was one of the most important in the life of Faraday ; he had 

 his first paper read to the Royal Society on two new compounds of chlo- 

 rine and carbon, and on a new compound of iodine, carbon, and hydrogen ; 

 and with Mr. Stodart, the surgical instrument maker, he published, in the 

 Quarterly Journal of Science, experiments on the alloys of steel, made 

 with a view to its improvement. 



In his common -place book, among the chemical questions, we find che- 

 mical lessons, or a plan of lessons in chemistry, and processes for manipu- 

 lation, the germ of his work on Chemical Manipulation. There is also a 

 list headed "Lecture Subjects," including application of statics to che- 

 mistry, approximation of mechanical and chemical philosophy, application 

 of mathematics to actual service and use in the arts, series of mechanical 

 arts, as tanning. 



On the 20th of April he writes to M. G. De la Rive : — " 1 never in my 

 life felt such difficulty in answering a letter as I do at this moment your 

 very kind one of last year. I was delighted On receiving it to find that 

 you had honoured me with any of your thoughts, and that you would 

 permit me to correspond with you by letter. Mr. Stodart and myself 

 have lately been engaged in a long series of experiments and trials on steel, 

 with the hope of improving it, and I think we shall in some degree suc- 

 ceed. We are still very much engaged in the subject ; but if you will give 

 me leave I will, when they are more complete, which I expect will be 

 shortly, give you a few notes on them. I succeeded by accident a few 

 weeks ago in making artificial plumbago, but not in useful masses. VI e 

 have lately had some important trials for oil in this metropolis, in which 

 I, with others, have been engaged. They have given occasion for many 

 experiments in oil, and the discovery of some new and curious results ; one 

 of the trials only is finished, and there are four or five more to come. As 

 soon as I can get time, it is my intention to trace more closely what takes 

 place in oil by heat." 



June 26 he sends a long abstract of the paper on Steel, and ends : — " Now 

 I think I have noticed the most interesting points at which we have 

 arrived. Pray pity us, that after two years' experiments we have got no 

 further ; but I am sure if you knew the labour of the experiments you 

 would applaud us for our perseverance at least. We are still encouraged 

 to go on, and I think the experience we have gained will shorten our future 

 labours. 



" If you should think any of our results worth notice in the ' Biblio- 

 theque,' this letter is free to be used in any way you please. Pardon my 

 vanity for supposing anything I can assist in doing can be worth atten- 

 tion ; but you know we live in the good opinion of ourselves and of others, 

 and therefore naturally think better of our own productions than they 

 deserve." 



Early the following month there is evidence that an entire change took 



