From George Biddell Airy   1851 September 10

Royal Observatory Greenwich | 1851 September 10.

Sir,

It would give me pleasure to assist you in reference to the Toronto Professorship if it were in my power to do so.1 Whether I can have the opportunity of doing it is not quite certain.

As a servant of the government, I am hardly competent to offer them a certificate in a matter which is not related to my own profession.

But I am prepared to respond to any inquiry which the government may address to me.2

You are therefore at liberty to refer the government to me: and I shall be happy if this gives me an opportunity of expressing the favourable opinion which I entertain of your qualification for the office.

I am, Sir, | Your obedient servant | G.B. Airy3

Dr Tyndall4

RI MS JT/1/A/27

1

assist … do so: reply to letter 0518 in which Tyndall requested a testimonial. Tyndall replied in turn in letter 0532.

2

respond to any enquiry. . . to me: compare Faraday’s response (letter 0506).

3

Airy: Tyndall copied this entire letter into his next letter to Francis (letter 0530).

4

Tyndall: this address form is located at the bottom of Airy’s first page, rather than, as was then conventional, at the end of the letter.

Please cite as “Tyndall0527,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on 9 May 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/tyndall/letters/Tyndall0527