My D.J.T.2
Thy3 2 letters of no date and of Ap. 194 are before me. I am glad to learn that Dr D.5 is likely to be with us so soon (sooner the better) as the young man I now have6 is very anxious to return to his own studies at the college of Chemistry. But Jno.7 I fear thou art too sanguine in thy anticipations as to Dr D’s readiness for duty. It seems scarcely likely he can take a class so soon. I shall be glad if he be not obliged to suspend his lessons to study English, and how shall we get on about lectures? Two per week fall to his share and the difficulty is how are they to be supplied? I see difficulties in the way but am not disposed to be deterred by them. The good Dr comes with a hearty good will, and that is half the battle. It is better that we should have a clear understanding about salary now8 than leave it till we meet. When I named £1509 it was with a perfect knowledge of my resources and that I could not go beyond this sum with propriety: I freely admit the truth of thy remark that thou art a stronger man now,10 but alas! in the exchequer I am sorry to say that I am not: but this I will add, as my resources grow thou shalt share in the growth, and £30 or £50 shall cheerfully, gratefully be given as soon as I have it to give. Queenwood has great capabilities and by the united efforts of so many good men and true it will continue to grow in public esteem as it has done, and by a simultaneous effort I have no doubt we may make it take a higher position still. The arrangements seem so fixed that there is no chance of seeing thee before our vacation which takes place about the 12th of June. I have not yet seen my way clear as to a public examination, though I acknowledge the desirableness of it: I cannot accomplish the details of it yet, and though I highly approve of shewing the public what we can do, I doubt whether a prospective display would be so good as one shewing results – which I trust we shall be able to do in the course of time. ‘Where there is the will &c’11 and I feel persuaded and delighted to think that I shall have so many enthusiastic helpers in the good cause. I am my dear friend with feelings of esteem and respect
Thine sincerely
RI MS JT/1/HTYP/127-128
LT Transcript of JT Transcript
[c. 23 April 1851]: as Tyndall received this letter on 28 April (Journal entry, JT/2/6/52), the date of writing (estimated by postage times) was c. 23 April.
D.J.T.: abbreviation for ‘Dear John Tyndall’, probably Edmondson’s efficient abbreviation of the plain Quaker form of address.
Thy: throughout this letter Edmondson uses the plain Quaker form of address, thy and thine, originally used for close friends and inferiors, rather than the polite plural forms, ‘you’ and ‘your’, originally used for superior persons.
Thy 2 letters . . . Ap. 19: both letters are missing. In his journal Tyndall recorded writing to Edmondson once in the week of 12–18 April, after receiving Edmondson’s offer of £150, and again on 20 April (entries for 18 and 20 April, JT/2/13b/538). Thus, he does not record dates with scrupulous accuracy or, perhaps, he began the second letter on the 19th and finished it on the 20th.
Dr D.: that is, Heinrich Debus (Journal, 2 April, JT/2/13b/524).
young man I now have: Robert Galloway (see letter 0469, n. 3).
Jno.: an abbreviation for John.
It is better ... clear understanding now: here Edmondson shifted to discussing Tyndall’s position and salary.
When I named £150: in a missing letter which Tyndall received between 6 and 12 April (Journal entry of 12 April, JT/2/13b/538).
£150 ... stronger man now: the amount proposed by Edmondson was the same as Tyndall had received in 1848–9 before his advanced studies. Tyndall must have asked for a higher salary, which Edmondson here declined.
Where there is a will ...: Edmondson alludes to the proverb, ‘where there is a will there is a way’.
Please cite as “Tyndall0478,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on 28 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/tyndall/letters/Tyndall0478