From John Tyndall, Snr   Nov. 14th, 1841.

Mr John Tyndall | Ordnance Survey Office | Kinsale

Leighlin Bridge | Nov. 14th, 1841.

My dear John

After a long silence I now sit down to scribble over something in the shape of a letter to you. I would have written to you ere this but was waiting for the accomplishment of an event that was said would take place on yesterday and that was no less than the marriage of your cousin Emma Tyndall with a young man named Young¹ now living at Kilgraney² – a man holding a very fine farm of land under Lord Beresford³ and in very good circumstances. It has not taken place yet, but I think will some day this week. The way this attachment was formed was during Caleb’s stay in the jail. This man being brother to the turn-key⁴ paid him many visits when he met with Emma, who often went there to see her father, by which means he fell dotingly in love with her – or with Caleb’s hundred pounds which he is to give her as a fortune. I think her much too young to be married to Young, but of this they are the best judges.

You asked me to send you word about every thing connected with this place. All I have to say is that, if the annals of infamy was searched over, so infamous a den as the den of tigers that inhabits the town you were born in could not be found. For my part all they can do against me they are doing. The consequence is I am selling I may say nothing. But my trade is better than it ever was, which I hope will counteract in some measure their villiany. Witness your pet John Mooney of bigoted notoriety; I think he was not inside my door since the night Caleb fired the shot,⁵ and when Mrs Steuart attacked him for such conduct he told her it was the dearness of my leather that caused him to act so. But my leather was not too dear till the morning after the shot was fired. So much for Mooney’s mean subterfuge. All the bad spirit that attended the Election still remains here in the inward man, but the outward man is peaceable, because they must be so – and give them no thanks – as we have a Government now⁶ that will see the laws executed with justice and impartiality. I will now conclude with letting you know that I read in yesterday’s Sentinel another beautiful production from you headed ‘original poetry for the Carlow Sentinel’ ‘the Bruen Testimonial,’⁷ and your Uncle Willy told me this evening that you were the author of it, but I knew that before he told me so. We are all well.

I am your affectionate father | John Tyndall

Will you be home at Christmas?

RI MS JT/1/10/3253

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