From John Tyndall, Snr   July 4th. 1840.

Mr John Tyndall | Ordnance Survey | Youghal | Leighlin Bridge | July 4th. 1840.

My dear John

I received your letter of the 29th of June,¹ and I and your mother are very happy to hear from you, and that you are well. I would have written to you before I received your last, but knowing that letters had passed between you and your mother I thought it needless to trouble with more so soon. I hope you are pleased with the work you are at present employed at. I think it more wholesome and more instructive than any you could get. I believe it is very critical but with all that I know you will be able to surmount all its difficulties and walk triumphant over the demesne of that doting old lady who thought you were about to take possession of her property.² I was speaking to Mrs Steuart this day, she desires me to let you know that she is very glad to hear you are going on well, and that you have her best wishes for your welfare. She desires also that Mr Reid would write to her and let know how he is going on. John McGee’s affairs³ are in a very bad state, he has served notices on all his creditors and expects to come out under the benefit of the insolvent act⁴ about the middle of this month. James Treacy has been liberated under the same act.⁵ Their situations are deplorable. I am sorry you were not at home for the last six days back as I had an old friend and schoolfellow by the name of Ryan with me during that period. He is from New York in America. This is the second time I have seen him these thirty three years. He is a most intelligent man and desires that you would make yourself as perfect an Engineer as possible, then you need not fear to make out a respectable living. He has a property worth fifteen hundred a year, and is a magistrate and a member of Congress for the district of New York. He has left a pamphlet⁶ for you which I will send by the Miss Murphys⁷ when they are going to Youghal. You might often hear me speak of Robinson Tyndall, he is worth forty thousand pounds, and his brother William also very wealthy. Mr Conwill will send you the twelve Apostles in the next letter,⁸ and wonders you did not write to him since you received his. Send me word how Corporal Davey’s health now is. My opinion is that it is much better, when he was able to convey the old lady’s report from Mr Wynne to you. I would be glad to hear of his perfect recovery, Radical though he be.⁹ I saw William Wright in Carlow on the 22nd of June, he has a sore knee and came home to get it cured. He told me that he expected to get a situation in Cork and if he did he would go to Youghal to see you. John Kennedy¹⁰ son to the clerk of Clonmelch church requested I would ask you to exert all the interest you have with Corporal Davey to get a situation as writer in the office, and I would be glad that you would do so. John Maginneys¹¹ has died about a fortnight ago after a few days illness with fever on the brain. I, your mother and all your friends here are well, and conclude with sending our love to you

I am Your affectionate Father | John Tyndall

I wrote this letter very bad John, but the next may be better.

RI MS JT/1/10/3187

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