Hammond’s Hotel, St. Martin’s Court │ Friday
My Dear Sir,
I have just returned to England after an absence of nearly two years in Germany and one of my first acts is to solicit your advice on a little matter which personally interests me. During my stay in Germany I devoted myself chiefly to scientific pursuits and in the winter of 1849 passed an examination and took out the degree of Doctor of Philosophy from that time to the present I have been engaged in magnetic investigations, and have been fortunate enough to obtain results which I believe scientific men will deem important. These results have already partially been made public both in England and Germany.3 I am anxious to follow the matter up,4 as I feel assured that the issue will prove more interesting than anything that has appeared in physical science for many years. This wish on my part has already induced me to decline offers which have been lately made to me,5 nor should I like to accept an engagement until I first ascertain whether it is not possible to follow up the line of thought already indicated. You are one of the counsellors which I have resolved to consult; and the necessary information would be a reply to the following question; – Do you know of any periodical, scientific or literary where I might have an opportunity of employing my pen and brains a little? I should be very happy to devote half my time to such a purpose, provided the other half could be left open to the completion of my enquiries.6 I am perfectly well aware that I bother and bore you nor shall I be the least surprised should you decline advising me. I have thought the thing worth a trial and have therefore done it.
Believe me Dear Sir │ Very faithfully yours │ John Tyndall
I leave town on Saturday morning and should the spirit prompt you to reply to me, the following address will always find me.
JT. │ Care of Thomas Hirst │ Harrison Road │ Halifax │ Yorkshire
If you like I will send you a specimen article.
Imperial College London, Papers of S. P. Thompson, 1.384
[Charles Mackay]: probable recipient. Although housed in the papers of S. P. Thompson, the letter is not to him as he was not born until 1851. From internal evidence, letter 0409 from Charles Mackay seems to be a response to this letter; moreover Tyndall had been in contact with Charles Mackay at the time of his departure for Marburg (see letter 0362). Possibly, but less likely, this letter might have been prompted by letter 0409 and addressed to William Little (letter 0409, n. 2), or written to some other person in publishing (for example, see n. 5 below). It may be a draft (see n. 6).
[21 June 1850]: probable date. Tyndall arrived from Germany on 19 June and stayed at the Hammond’s Hotel, St. Martins Court, before leaving for Halifax on 29 June. Friday the 28th does not give time for Tyndall to receive the hoped-for reply in London. This supports MacKay being addressee (n. 1).
made public in England and Germany: Tyndall alludes to the paper published in Poggend. Annal. (cited 0392, n. 13) and in Phil. Mag. (cited letter 0395, n. 22). A second article was published in the Phil. Mag. in July (cited letter 0403 n. 2).
follow up the matter: Tyndall wanted to return to Germany to continue his experimental work with Knoblauch.
offers … made to me: Tyndall had received a query from Edmondson about Tyndall’s availability to return to Queenwood, which Tyndall answered in a manner ‘that will probably throw cold water on the subject’ (Journal, 2 June 1850, JT/2/13b/491). Tyndall may also have been exaggerating. In his Journal for 23 July 1850, he wrote: ‘It has been a fortnight since my last entry. Wrote to Queenwood – Nichts; wrote to Halifax, to C[arter] Nichts; wrote to Oak Park, have heard Nichts; Wrote to Longman, enclosing 13 pages, Nichts’ (JT/2/13b/502).
enquiries: At this point Tyndall has slightly and ineffectually crossed out the sentence, ‘I am totally ignorant of the method of effecting such’, suggesting that this letter might have been a draft.
Please cite as “Tyndall0408,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on 19 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/tyndall/letters/Tyndall0408