John Tyndall to Faraday   2 November 1861

Royal Institution | Saturday 2nd. Nov. 1861.

My dear Mr. Faraday

I have been desirous of writing to you for some time past, but have been held back by the fear that you might consider me obtrusive; the same fear almost holds me back now. I wished to say a word or two regarding my position here, and to state to you my feelings on a subject which has of late been often in my thoughts. I do not know whether Dr. Bence Jones committed any breach of trust in reading to me the letter in which you resign the Juvenile lectures¹, but if he did I am sure that you will forgive him, and that he will forgive me for alluding to it here. Your resignation probably throws this work into my hands for the present²; I shall do it as my duty, but apart from the question of duty, I wish to say that, if the lectures numbered fifty instead of six, and if the reward were Zero instead of fifty pounds, I would cheerfully undertake them if it relieved you of the slightest anxiety regarding them. And with reference to the concluding portion of your letter, where you place yourself in the Managers hands as regards your further connexion with the Institution, let me say this much, even at the risk of being deemed impertinent. The fact of your being here was my chief motive in coming to this place, and it has continued to be my chief privilege ever since. The Royal Institution has given me many pleasures and many advantages - so many indeed that there is no situation in this country to which I could look with the least envy; but the main gratification and greatest pleasure of my life hitherto has been my association with you. All this may seem very much out of place, but I wish to make a clean breast of it, by saying that if my position here caused you to do anything calculated to weaken your connexion with the Institution, I should not think myself justified in remaining. The day that you resign I shall resign also.

Believe me my dear Mr Faraday | Ever truly yours | John Tyndall