John Barlow to Faraday   13 August 1859

Hotel de York Spa | Aug 13/59

My dear Faraday

You could have had no misgiving when you were writing your letter¹, as to the amount of pleasure it would afford us. We are glad to think of you & Mrs. Faraday enjoying pure air and quiet, & hearing, as I trust you do, good news from Miss Barnard. You will be glad that my wife is well. I am rather feeble, my right eye is not yet restored. My right hand is very slow in writing, and I am soon tired in a walk.. Luckily these infirmities do not diminish the pleasure I experience from intercourse with valued friends..

-- Of course we shall gladly acquiesce in your outlay for Tyndall’s Lectures. I only hope that his optics may not be “higher” next year than the intellects of his hearers². I think it very important that our Lectures should be original, & such as can only be given by the original research of the Lecturer; that they should be illustrated by striking experiments, so as to present a beautiful outline-map of the subject, such as any one, who would give continuous intelligent attention to the Lecture, would both apprehend and retain. Such were your own Saturday Lectures in old time. Now I dread the tendency of Tyndall’s Lectures to become abstruse - Illness and the meetings of the R. Soc. Council, deprived me of many of them last Spring³ but I thought some of those I did hear, difficult, especially as there was no text book for the student to refer to. This remark I would apply, with greater force, to the chemical lectures except the last⁴. Many of these have been quite out of the comprehension of any but chemists.- Within the last few years Jermyn Street⁵ has supplied the wants of those who require detailed & deep instruction.

But I have prosed too long on this subject. I was very glad to get a cheerful note from Tyndall on the eve of his departure. He said nothing about Lectures, but he talked hopefully of the issue of his researches into the gases’ interference with the waves of heat⁶.

I do not know that there has been any enterprise of yours in which I have more cordially bidden you “God speed” than in your efforts for the scientific degree. It will be the motive for high powers, now too much neglected, as judgment and accuracy, being cultivated; and it will constitute an order of men, much needed now, to fulfil very important purposes in society. Then it will enormously add to the usefulness of mathematical proficients, who may be induced to compete for it. Mr. Hudson⁷, one of the Assistant Tutors of Trinity, is here: he tells me that, as yet, little has been done in the scientific Tripos at Cambridge⁸.

You would have few sympathizers at Spa. There are pretty walks & drives; & the geological structure of the hills is interesting - But nothing is thought of except gambling. Though, for many reasons, I abstain from playing, I often go to the Tables to watch the curious succession of events which occur, and to listen to the still stranger inferences which are drawn from them. As, during the plagues infallible preventives and cures were sold, so here people profess to have devised schemes which must win. Some of these are extremely plausible, and it has been an occupation to me to detect their fallacy, and to try to demonstrate the mathematical certainty that those, who play long enough, must lose. There have been wonderful games - an Englishman won £1200 two days ago. This is as good for “the bank” as a fire is for an insurance office. It is already said to have made £60,000 and the season is little more than half over ...

I hear that the same cause which you assign has diminished the harvests all over central Europe.

Mr. Esmeade⁹ sends his cordial remembrances. Mrs. Barlow her love to Mrs. Faraday with my thanks for her few lines.

Ever, dear Faraday, | your attached friend | John Barlow