My Dear Tom Frankland has just returned from Germany and has brought me the enclosed.2 You will be able to make out some of Debus’s but Noll’s production will be a riddle to you I’m afraid. Debus says the Semester commences about the 20th of October. Noll mentions that some cases of cholera have occurred at Cassel, Debus who writes 8 or 10 days later from Cassel says nothing about it – Marburg is free from it – I believe it has never yet been visited by this pest. The country is in a state of war,3 that is the ministry are making military demonstrations to check the democratic tendencies of the Hessian parliament, both Debus and Noll however concur in saying that it does not interfere in any way with study, commerce, or the common habits of the people. Bunsen has been invited to take the Chair of Chemistry in the University of Halle4 a much more considerable place than Marburg – he has however declined and will remain where he is. I am glad of this resolution on his part as we should both undoubtedly feel his loss. Poor Debus is very much rejoiced to hear that we shall enter Marburg together he is a kind hearted sterling fellow and with a head of the first calibre. One of the rooms that I had looked at previous to leaving Marburg has been taken by a Dr. Hoffa, but the hostess will induce him to withdraw so that we can have one story completely to ourselves. I will throw dice with you in the Ritter5 about the rooms. Knoblauch is making a tour through Bavaria and Austria with his father so that I have not heard from him.
I sent you the Leader to day. Present my kind remembrances to your brother.6
Believe me dear Tom | Your affectionate | Tyndall
RI MS JT/1/HTYP/124
LT Transcript Only
[20 or 21 September 1850]: postmark ‘Darwen 21 September’ (from LT’s note). It could have been written the previous day. Hirst, in Bristol, received the letter on 22 September (see n. 2), and only one day from the north to Bristol would be unusually fast. Given that Tyndall does not mention writing two letters on the same day, we think that 20 September is the likely date for this letter (compare letter 0445 which we believe was written 21 September).
the enclosed: Hirst noted in his journal (22 September): ‘Received a letter from Tyndall having three other letters from Frankland, Debus, and Noll enclosed’.
The country is in a state of war: in autumn 1850, Austria and Prussia came into open conflict over Hesse-Cassel.
Chair of Chemistry in the University of Halle: in his journal Tyndall noted that Bunsen had been offered positions at Halle and Breslau (21 September, JT/2/13b/510).
Ritter: a hotel in Marburg where Tyndall ate inexpensive meals on Sundays, often in the company of professors at the University. He first met Heinrich Debus at such a Sunday dinner (see LT, ‘Biography’, Vol. 1, pp. 227 and 296).
your brother: John, who lived in Bristol.
Please cite as “Tyndall0444,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on 30 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/tyndall/letters/Tyndall0444