certificate had to be read at ten successive meetings before the ballot 

 came on. 



On the 30th of May he wrote to H. Warburton, Esq. :— " Sir, I have 

 been anxiously waiting the opportunity you promised me of a conversation 

 with you, and from late circumstances am now still more desirous of it 

 than at the time when I saw you in the Committee. I am sure you will 

 not regret the opportunity you will afford for an explanation ; for I do not 

 believe there is any thing you would ask after you have communicated with 

 me, that I should not be glad, to do. I am satisfied that many of the feel- 

 ings you entertain on the subject in question would be materially altered 

 by granting my request. At the same time, as I have more of your opi- 

 nions by report than otherwise, I am perhaps not well aware of them. It 

 was only lately that I knew you had any feeling at all on the subject. 

 You would probably find yourself engaged in doing justice to one who can- 

 not help but feel that he has been injured, though he trusts unintention- 

 ally. I feel satisfied you are not in possession of all the circumstances of 

 the case, but I am also sure you will not wish willingly to remain ignorant 

 of them. Excuse my earnestness and freedom on this subject, and consider 

 for a moment how much I am interested in it." 



At the foot of the copy of this letter Faraday made the following notes : — 

 " In relation to Davy's opposition to my election at the R. S. : Sir H. Davy 

 angry, May 30 ; Phillips's report through Mr. Children, June 5 ; Mr.War- 

 burton called first time, June 5, evening ; I called on Dr. Wollaston, and he 

 not in town, June 9 ; I called on Dr. Wollaston and saw him, June 14 ; I 

 called at Sir H. Davy's, and he called on me, June 17." 



Many years ago he gave a friend the following facts, which were 

 written down at the time : Sir H. Davy told him that he must take 

 down his certificate. Faraday replied that he had not put it up : that he 

 could not take it down as it was put up by his proposers. Sir Humphry 

 then said, he must get his proposers to take it down. Faraday answered 

 that he knew they would not do so. Then, said Sir H., I, as President 

 will take it down. Faraday replied, that he was sure Sir Humphry Davy 

 would do what he thought was for the good of the Society. 



One of Faraday's proposers told him that SirH. had walked for an hour 

 round the courtyard of Somerset House, trying to convince Faraday's in- 

 formant that Faraday ought not to be elected. However, the storm passed 

 away, but not without leaving its effects ; and on the 29th of June Sir 

 H. Davy ends a note — "I am, dear Faraday, very sincerely, your well-wisher 

 and friend.''* 



July 8, Mr. Warburton wrote : — " I have read the article in the Royal 

 Institution Journal, vol. xv. p. 288, on Electromagnetic Rotation, and with- 

 out meaning to convey to you that I approve of it unreservedly, I beg to 

 say that upon the whole it satisfies me, as I think it will Dr. Wollaston's 

 other friends. Having everywhere admitted and maintained that, on the 

 score of scientific merit, you were entitled to a place in the Royal Society, I 



