To Jack Tidmarsh   26th Sep 1847

Queenwood College | near Stockbridge | Hampshire | 26th Sep. 1847.

My dear Jack

Not wishing to put you off with a fragment of an epistle I have waited day after day until I should have time to send you a long one. Contrary to numerous predictions and to my own expectation I left Halifax on terms of amity with our late governor.¹ On Sunday morning the 15th of August he and I found ourselves tête a tête at Wards End. I had made half a dozen appointments with him previously but was unable to see him and I began to fear that I should be compelled to break my engagement with Mr Edmondson. In half an hour we settled matters, and though the settlement did not reach what under other circumstances would be considered compensatory, still all things taken into account I think I have reason to be satisfied – he allowed me £60 extra for over time – had he got his money peaceably from the company I should have expected more than twice the sum. I will send you a prospectus of this establishment² in a few days and from it you can learn its nature – the building is immense, it was constructed seven years ago by the Socialists and was by them called Harmony Hall³ – the adjective however misnomer and the harmony of the establishment was in three or four years converted into utter confusion.⁴ On one of the gables were the letters R.O. set in flint – on the other still stand the

1841

letters C of M – The first you will recognise as the initials of Robert Owen⁵ the founder of Socialism in England the latter means ‘Commencement of Millennium’ poor Owen imagined he could mould humanity as he could mould bricks and the foundation of this edifice was to have been the dawn of a new era. We have an estate of 800 acres to practice upon and I take my band out at 3 ½ o’clock and work until 6. I also deliver occasional lectures – I have already given three on physiology and have been fortunate enough to acquit myself with credit. When my course of this subject is ended I shall take up engineering and I promise myself some substantial advantage from the comprehensive reading previously necessary. We have a most able young fellow a chemist,⁶ he was formerly demonstrator of chemistry at Putney College,⁷ he and I make an exchange of knowledge – he teaches me the mysteries of his art while I teach him mathematics. We meet together every night and read for a certain time: afterwards each questions the other, and thus the matter is planted in our minds. I have also commenced German and promise myself a trip up the Rhine next summer when I shall want to use it. We paid a visit to Stonehenge a few days ago and visited Salisbury Cathedral⁸ upon the way. The site of Stonehenge must have been peculiarly suitable for the exercise of druidical rites – it stands in the centre of a vast plain boundless as the sea and unbroken by fence or human habitation – fancy tens of thousands wild hairy Britons collected here with the moon shining down upon them while their demoniac priest plunged his sacrificial knife into his victims heart! I now pause – let me hear from you, and present my very best regards to all at home

Most faithfully yours | Tyndall | I saw Archy McLachen⁹ in Southampton a few days ago

RI MS JT/1/TYP/11/3871

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