Richard Taylor’s Printing Office, | Red Lion Court, Fleet Street | Wednesday
Dear Tyndall,
A few words before starting on an expedition to Hampton Court with Willhelm Rose. Mr Taylor wrote yesterday to Sir Robert Kane respecting the vacancy at Cork requesting early information in order if possible to keep you here in the Old World. The following is a copy of the letter that you may know what I have been after and blame me if what I have done does not meet with your approval
‘Dear Sir Robert
When Prof. Magnus was here a few days ago, I heard from him that there was a likelihood of a vacancy in the Chair of Natural Philosophy at Cork. I have since been informed by Dr. Ronalds2 that Prof. Shaw3 has resigned. I am very desirous to obtain correct information on this subject for my friend Dr Tyndall who is at present a candidate for the Professorship of Natural Philosophy at Toronto.
His testimonials are of the highest order – but I am sorry to think that so very able a man should be lost to our country: – a feeling which is entertained by Faraday, Sabine, Magnus, De la Rive and others. Should there be an opening at Cork and the least probability of his success I should advise him to delay sending in his testimonials to Toronto &c. &c’.
You need not write to Kane therefore unless you have already done so as I have no doubt Mr Taylor will soon receive an answer.4
Your parcel5 came safely to hand this morning and I will attend to your instructions and post the parcel immediately on receiving the letter for the President.6
When you have a little leisure I should like you to go over a second paper I have received from Dr Woods7 and which I think will prove interesting to you.
I have received a long paper from Thomson8 this morning
Yours very sincerely | W. Francis.
Dr. Tyndall.
RI MS JT/1/TYP/12/3981
LT Transcript Only
[15 October 1851]: reference to the parcel (which ‘came to hand this morning’) and to Tyndall’s intention to write to Kane date this letter to shortly after letters 0548 and 0549 [13–14 October]. Given the urgency of the application and the efficiency of the Victorian parcel delivery and train services, we date this letter 15 October rather than 22 October.
Dr. Ronalds: Edmund Ronalds.
Prof. Shaw: George Ferdinand Shaw (1821–99), first Professor of Natural Philosophy (1849–55) at Galway, who continued to hold a position as tutor at Trinity College, Dublin. In 1855 he returned to TCD and in 1856 obtained MA, LLB and LLD qualifications. In his later career he combined journalism and academic positions.
You need ... an answer: Tyndall had indicated his intention to write to Kane in letter 0548. His journal entry for 30 October (JT/2/13b/550) indicates that he wrote to Kane himself, either before receiving Francis’s advice in this letter or despite it.
Your parcel: the parcel discussed in letters 0548–50.
the President: as for letter 0548, n. 9. Tyndall had promised to send Francis this letter the following day, that is, on 15 October. Here, Francis is expecting the letter imminently.
second paper from Dr Woods: not identified.
paper from Thomson: probably ‘On the Mechanical Theory of Electrolysis’, Phil. Mag., 2:13 (December 1851), pp. 429–44.
Please cite as “Tyndall0551,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on 29 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/tyndall/letters/Tyndall0551