ABSTRACT
I am unfortunate in a want of mathematical knowledge and the power of entering with facility into abstract reasoning. I am obliged to feel my way by facts closely placed together, so that it often happens I am left behind in the progress of a branch of science (not merely from the want of attention) but from the incapability I lay under of following it, notwithstanding all my exertions. It is just now so, I am ashamed to say, with your refined researches on electromagnetism or electrodynamics. On reading your papers and letters, I have no difficulty in following the reasoning, but
still at last I seem to want something more on which to steady the conclusions. I fancy the habit I got into of attending too closely to experiment has somewhat fettered my powers of reasoning, and chains me down, and I cannot help now and then comparing myself to a timid ignorant navigator who (though he might boldly and safely steer across a bay or an ocean by the aid of a compass which in its actions and principles is infallible) is afraid to leave sight of the shore because he understands not the power of the instrument that is to guide him. With regard to electro-magnetism also, feeling my insufficiency to reason as you do, I am afraid to receive at once the conclusions you come to (though I am strongly tempted by their simplicity and beauty to adopt them).
