From Joseph Payne   May 25th 1843.

Skipton | May 25^th 1843.

My dear Tyndall

‘Promises and piecrusts &c.’¹ however such was not the case with me, but on turning the circumstance of the suggestion (I was about to make) over in my mind and of course finding the little effect (if any) it was likely to produce – emanating as it does from my poor numb-soul, I was just waiting until you would forget that ever hinted at a forthcoming mares nest² – but at you – Perhaps it is too presumptuous in me to speak on a subject which your more learned friends (as a favoured child of the muses)³ must have hinted to you before now, and far more which your own mind must have suggested. Now Master John ‘you know very well what I mean’; and, without infringing upon your more instructive hours, if the time you devote to scraps was given to the composition of a Poem such as you could write, then I would say with every one who has read your ‘Reminiscences of Leighlin’⁴ that things were going on as they should. But I need not tell you that the best scraps of the best authors serve for very little more than to grace a scrap book and though beautiful as they undoubtedly are you nor your friends would never read them with the one tenth of the zest that they would a Poem by John Tyndall – Do try it, you know the success that must attend it in every way. You know the patronage you can calculate upon and you know – what’s far more – your own abilities. I have often this time past been thinking that such a thing was in contemplation, nay sometimes that it was in progress, but then when I consider Tyndall is learning French, I imagine that you say you are robbing yourself by even sparing a bit for the poor Sentinal.⁵ And bye the bye, as I think of it, could you never by any chance just slip me the Sentinal Jim (of course) and you know I would be happy to see any thing that ever passed through Ln. B.⁶ supposing it was only the blind borheen,⁷ or Mrs Nowlans cat, aye or the red’un⁸ either. We had your Captain⁹ here today. He came to bring me 3 pence per diem¹⁰ of an increase¹¹ (Luther’s curse¹² on him and Tom Colby, it does not commence until the first of June) and to transact some other business, of more importance which I did not care to ask him about. It is conjectured that it is merely the dismissal of about 200 unfortunates;¹³ but conjectures and reports of the Survey are as much to be depended upon as that which we know already to be a thundering jumped up lie. But you know a chance shot may kill the odd’un, and sometimes they may tell truth. However I hope such is not the case. Now Mr Baskin is almost afraid to write to you, he has neglected it so long – so you may believe me when I tell you that I did not quit laughing until I went to my bed on the day I received your last¹⁴ when I thought of how Tidmarsh had the tears running down his cheeks at the idea of Ginty’s second ‘Farewell’¹⁵ and at his furnishing the material and poor Ginty at seeing his ‘name in print’ unauthorised¹⁶ and under such bloody storming colours his oaths newly coined for the special purpose of vowing his never before thought of modes of revenge on some person unknown, but Master John Topine¹⁷ you were strongly suspected and you in your virgin quarters exculpated yourself in the eyes of the fair victim¹⁸ not forgetting George¹⁹ when the precious inspiration came softly stealing o’er your mornings what – yawning that last expression is quite poetical and original I believe in the application – Tyndall you may call me Ass, Fool, gull, and brand me with all other epithets by which sapient²⁰ philosophers are designated for the first article of this here epistle. I will be satisfied with all if it only tends in any way to set you at it write to me as soon as ever you conveniently can and tell me may I soon expect to see a ‘Corsair’ a ‘Sara’ a ‘Bride of Abydoss’ or a ‘Lalla Rookh’²¹ from you.

Thine ever | Payne

RI MS JT 1/11/3843–4

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