London, Morley’s Hotel | Spt 20. 51.
Prof. Tyndall, | Queenwood College.
Verehrtester Freund
Seit meiner Rückehr hierher habe ich mir täglich vorgenommen Ihnen zu schreiben und Ihnen sowie Herrn Edmondson und seiner Familie für die freundliche Aufnahme zu danken, welche mir in Queenwood-College zu Theil geworden ist. Ich rechne die Stunden, welche ich dort verlebt habe, zu den schönsten meines Aufenthalts in England. Queenwood wird mir unvergesslich sein! Wir denken am Dienstag von hier nach Edinburgh, Liverpool etc. abzureisen und etwa nach 8 Tagen wieder hier durchzupassiren, um unsre Pässe zur Rückehr nach dem Continent zu nehmen. Magnus und Rose sind eben von ihrer Reise nach Schottland u. Irland zurückgekehrt und bleiben noch einige Tage (unbestimmt wie lange) in London. Vielleicht gehen sie noch nach Brighton. (Auch Magnus bedauert es, dass Sie nach America gehen wollen.)
Frankland habe ich vergeblich in Putney aufgesucht, das er bereits seit 3 Wochen verlassen hatte. Wheatstone ist in der Isle of Whight. Dagegen habe ich Potter und durch ihn das University College so wie Brooke und seine sinnreichen selbstregistrirenden Instrumente gesehen.
Des Uebrigen haben wir hier noch so vieles kennen gelernt, dass es unmöglich wäre es mit 2 Worten anzuführen. London ist an Allem unendlich reich, nur eins habe ich vermisst: elegante physikalische Apparate. In dieser Beziehung können wir die Concurrenz in Deutschland aushalten. Bei Watkins u. Hill fand ich einige optische Instrumente von Interesse für mich, Darker will ich noch besuchen.
Leben Sie recht wohl. Grüssen Sie Debus herzlich von mir und empfehlen Sie mich Herrn, Frau u. Fräulein Edmondson. I shall ever remember the kindness and friendship, I have experienced in Queenwood-College with feelings of the sincerest gratitude and affection, more than it was perhaps expressed by me on parting in your language, foreign to me.
Mit den besten Wünschen für Ihr Wohl, und der Bitte von Zeit zu Zeit Nachricht von sich zu geben,
Ihr | treuer Freund. | Herm. Knoblauch.
Mein Vater grüsst Sie freundlichst und dankt [Hrn.] Edmondson für die Gastlichkeit mit der er uns beide bei sich aufnehmen wollte.
RI MS JT/1/K/17
London, Morley’s Hotel | Spt 20. 51.
Prof. Tyndall, | Queenwood College.
Dearest Friend.
Since my return here I have been intending every day to write to you and to thank you as well as Herr Edmondson and his family for the kind welcome which was given to me in Queenwood College.1 I count the hours I spent there among the nicest of my stay in England. I shall never forget Queenwood! We2 are thinking of travelling from here on Tuesday to Edinburgh, Liverpool etc. and of passing through here again after about 8 days in order to collect our passports for the return journey to the continent. Magnus and Rose have just returned from their trip to Scotland and Ireland and will stay for a few more days (uncertain how long) in London. They may still go to Brighton. (Magnus is also sorry that you want to go to America.)3
I looked up Frankland in Putney, but to no avail;4 he had already left there 3 weeks ago. Wheatstone is on the Isle of Wight. However, I did see Potter5 and through him University College, as well as Brooke6 and his ingenious self-recording instruments.7
Other than that, we have learnt so much here that it would be impossible to list it all in a couple of words. London is infinitely rich in everything, and there was just one thing I did not see: elegant physics apparatus. In this respect we can maintain the competition in Germany. I found some optical instruments of interest to me at Watkins and Hill’s,8 and I still want to visit Darker.9
Farewell. Give Debus my kind regards and give my compliments to Herr, Frau and Fräulein Edmondson. I shall ever remember the kindness and the friendship I have experienced in Queenwood-College with feelings of the sincerest gratitude and affection, more than it was perhaps expressed by me on parting in your language, foreign to me.
With the best wishes for your well-being, and the request that you give me news of yourself from time to time,
Your | faithful friend. | Herm. Knoblauch.
My father sends you his kindest regards and thanks [Herr] Edmondson for the hospitality with which he wanted to welcome us both at his place.
in Queenwood College: according to Tyndall’s journal, Knoblauch had arrived at Queenwood on Sunday 7 September and stayed one night (see entry of 9 November, JT/2/13b/549).
We: Knoblauch was travelling with his father.
Magnus is also … America: Knoblauch wrote this note in the margin beside the previous two sentences.
Putney, but to no avail: Edward and Sophie Frankland had stayed in Putney for the month of August in order to visit the Great Exhibition (Russell, Edward Frankland, pp. 186–7).
Potter: Richard Potter (1799–1886), natural philosopher. Born in Manchester; attended Queen’s College, Cambridge (BA, 1838; MA, 1841); professor of natural philosophy and astronomy at University College, London 1841–2 and 1844–65 (ODNB).
Brooke: Charles Brooke (1804–79), surgeon and inventor of measuring instruments; FRS 1847; worked in London, at the Metropolitan Free Hospital and then Westminster Hospital (ODNB).
self-recording instruments: consisted of barometers, thermometers, psychrometers, and magnetometers that automatically registered variations using photography. This reduced the number of assistants needed. They were employed at the observatories of Greenwich, Paris, Toronto, and Cambridge, MA (ibid., ODNB).
Watkins and Hill’s: Watkins and Hills, an optical, mathematical and philosophical instrument maker, trading at 5 Charing Cross, London. See ODNB entry for Francis Watkins (1723–91) for details on the firm.
Darker: William H. Darker, optician and optical lapidary, and seller of scientific instruments, Paradise St, Lambeth, London.
Please cite as “Tyndall0533,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on