Roscrea Nov. 15th 1840
Dear John
I received yours of the 4th inst.,1 in due time. I was not at all surprised to find that you were disappointed at my neglect, nor at your readiness to forgive me for it. Now I hope you will not be displeased at the brevity of this, it wants only a few minutes of post time and to tell you the truth I have been in the same delightful predicament2 all day as that which deprived you of my last scrawl, were it not for that I would have written a longer epistle unfitted as I am for the task. You must be satisfied for the present by my informing you that I am getting on pretty well with my business, but still there is the doubt continually present that we may be discovered3 and that is instant separation and goodness knows what may follow. About Joe I will have something more to say to you the next time which you may expect shortly.4
Adieu | I am yours truly | W. Wright
RI MS JT/1/11/3886
LT Transcript Only
yours of the 4th inst.: letter missing; ‘inst.’ is abbreviation for ‘Instante mense’, Latin for this month.
the same delightful predicament: presumably, being in love.
we may be discovered: his relationship with (possibly engagement to) Sarah Maria Neale.
About Joe … expect shortly: re Joseph Payne, see letter 0018.
Please cite as “Tyndall0021,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on 27 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/tyndall/letters/Tyndall0021