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Document number: 06429
Date: 15 Jun 1851
Recipient: FARADAY Michael
Author: TALBOT William Henry Fox
Collection: Royal Institution, London
Collection number: Faraday F1M n. 137
Collection 2: British Library, London, Manuscripts - Fox Talbot Collection
Collection 2 number: 28447 - draft version
Collection number 2 historic: LA51-19
Last updated: 29th March 2012

M. Faraday Esq

Lacock Abbey, Chippenham
June 15/51

Dear Sir

The important experiment tried yesterday at the Royal Instn <1> succeeded perfectly. A printed paper was fastened to a disk, which was then made to revolve as rapidly as possible. The battery was discharged, and on opening ye Camera it was found to have received an impression. The image of the printed letters was just as sharp as if the disk had been motionless. I am not aware of this experiment having ever been made before

I should be happy to repeat it in the presence of some of our Scientific friends, but I wish first to obtain effects on a greater scale of development and therefore I should be very glad if you would devise means of augmenting the brilliancy of the flash. Two methods occur to me which I submit to your judgment. (1) Professor Hare <2> of America says that if a flat coil of copper ribbons is placed in the circuit the spark from a Leyden jar is greatly increased in brilliancy. Supposing this to be equally true of a battery, would it not be desirable to adopt it?

(2) if the battery discharge were taken thro' a tube lined spirally with pieces of tinfoil (one of which is at the R. Instn) would not the total effect of these numerous sparks light up the room more than the single discharge does?

If a truly instantaneous photographic representation of an object has never been obtained before (as I imagine that it has not) I am glad that it should have been first accomplished at the Royal Instn

Believe me Dear Sir Ever Truly Yours
H. F. Talbot



[WHFT's draft:]

Faraday
15 June/51

Ye importt expttried yestdy at ye RI succd perfy A printd paper was fastd to a disk wch was then made to revve as rapy as poss. Ye batty was dischgd, & it was found that this momty flash was sufficly received to on opening ye Cama it was found to have recd an impressn. The image of ye printed letters was just as sharp as if ye disk had been motionless. I am not aware of this expt having ever been made before, wch demonstrates ye possibility of that truly instants photographic portraiture representation. I shd be happy to repeat it in ye presence of ye members of ye RI & other some of our scientific men friends, but I wish first to obtain effects on a greater scale of developmt & กเ I would should be vy glad if you would devise means of augmenting ye brilliancy of the flash. Two methods occur to me wch I submit to your judgment. (1) Profsr Hare of America says that if a flat coil of copper ribbons is placed in ye circuit, the spark fm a Leyd jar is greatly incd in brilliancy. Supposing this to be equally true of a [illegible deletion] battery, wd it not be desirable to adopt it?

(2) if the battery discharge were taken thro' a tube lined with spirally with pieces of tinfoil, (one of wch is at ye R. Instn) would not the total effect of these nums sparks light up the room more than the single discharge does?

If an a truly instants photographic represnof an object has never been obtained before (as I imagine that it has not) I am glad that it shd have been first accomplished at the R Instn

Bel

Notes:

1. Royal Institution, London.

2. Robert Hare (1751-1858), Professor of Chemistry at University of Pennsylvania.