To Thomas Archer Hirst   Aug 25th 1847

Queenwood College near Stockbridge | Hampshire | Aug. 25^th 1847.

My dear children –

Though my ideas are sadly out of gear this afternoon, nevertheless as I have half an hour that I can call my own I devote it to writing to you – I started from Manchester on Thursday morning, dined at Birmingham, and reached London at half past 8 the same evening – met M^r Edmondson according to appointment and spent thursday night at a private and Commercial boarding house kept by a quaker – It is one of the most comfortable places that I have met, stuck right in the nucleus of the city yet perfectly quiet and retired – on Friday morning we all – thirty perhaps, mostly quakers – sat down to breakfast together – our host¹ occupied the head of the table – his daughter a rich and [lovely] brunette sat at the foot – the former read a chapter from the bible after which we all paused in silent meditation for a minute or two, and then fell voraciously upon a capital breakfast – If ever I have occasion to go to London I shall most certainly stop there –

After breakfast M^r Edmondson and myself made the tour of London and purchased books and instruments – during our peregrination we visited [Delarue]'s paper and fancy stationary manufactory,² and a more wonderful sight I never beheld; one machine an envelope folder performed the function of the human hand with perfect exactitude had a savage looked upon the instrument his first impulse would doubtless be to fall down and worship it.

We reached Queenwood³ at 10 o'C on Friday night when I was introduced to M^rs Edmondson and her fair daughter⁴ – From the limited premises I now possess I am inclined to hope that I shall like this situation exceedingly – Mr Edmondson is a man of most comprehensive attainments. I like him very much, he is almost paternally kind to me – on Saturday he placed two superb works on Natural Philosophy in my hand and requested me to compile a series of lectures – ‘Thou seest John Tyndall’ he remarked ‘what an atmosphere thou wilt breathe in’

The geologic features of this County are all Chalk, Chalk, Chalk – In the evening you fancy you see a gentle mist hanging over the fields – you are deceived it is nothing but vapoury looking chalk powder – you see a white patch here and there and imagine yourself in the vicinity of a wash house – wrong again, it is all chalk – the sole stones to be found are the associated flint nodules and many of the houses, for want of better material are built [of] clay and marle.⁵

We purpose making an excursion to Stonehenge⁶ tomorrow and there surrounded by the ghosts of the Druids and shaded by their gray alters will we demolish our ham sandwiches and pop – In a few days we shall make the tour of the Isle of Wight – I shall be at liberty during three months of the year – I might possibly take a look in at you next Christmas – And now I have not written so long a letter to any one else so I shall conclude – Remember me to all who care any thing about me

Goodbye and believe me | most sincerely and affectionately yours | J Tyndall | Is the level⁷ safe?

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