If you intend to publish a prospectus besides this preface2 then the latter hardly needs alteration. But if you do not intend to publish a prospectus then the preface ought to be more explicit.
When will the prospectus be needed? It must be a good one and therefore will require thought. Now I am up to my neck in work Struggling to get something ready for Belfast.3 If it would do afterwards I am your man – But Huxley I doubt not would make the thing exactly what it ought to be. Had you told me earlier you should have had my version in your hand at present.
I have looked every where through my papers for Barter’s letter4 and regret to say that I have looked in vain. I do not remember ever to have seen the document but I will lay no stress on this as my memory cannot be trusted. Have you looked through the book – it may be hid somewhere between the leaves – What’s to be done?
Sincerely yours | J Tyndall
I shall make an effort to get up to town5 on Saturday.
RDS 27/40
[early–mid August 1852]: written after his decision to go to Belfast (made some time between his journal entries for 25 July and 26 August; see n. 3), but prior to letter 0656 (27 August), when he returned the prospectus and preface to Francis. At the latest this letter was written a few days before Saturday 21 August.
prospectus beside this preface: for the new series of Scientific Memoirs, of which Tyndall (along with Francis, Huxley, and Henfrey) was an editor (see letter 0656, n. 4).
for Belfast: Tyndall (after initially deciding against it) had decided to attend the meeting of the BAAS in Belfast after Sabine asked him to serve as a secretary of the Physical Section (see Journal, 26 August, JT/2/13b/580–1).
Barter’s letter: not identified. Barter may be Richard Barter (1802–1870), an Irish physician and well-known hydropath.
up to town: London.
Please cite as “Tyndall0653,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on 3 May 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/tyndall/letters/Tyndall0653