Whitehall1 | 17 Febr ’53
My dear Tyndall
I heard of your success from my son2 and nephew who I think were as much gratified by the applause you received as by the pleasure they derived from the lecture.3 I wish I could have been present myself, but better luck next time –
I would be much inclined to offer you the advice to be very [weary] in giving lectures except to decidedly scientific bodies and not to let yourself be brought forward as a popular lecturer, I should feel great doubts whether the Finsbury Institution4 (I know nothing of its Constitution) would be a desirable plan to lecture in immediately after the Royal Institution but you will have an opportunity of consulting persons who can offer a much better opinion on the matter than I can. My own idea is that tho’ popular lecturers are very interesting to those who hear them being kind of Royal highnesses of learning they do not advance those who give them inasmuch as they do not generally proceed from first class men, occasionally first class minds such as Faraday condescend to gratify the public by a popular exposition of their views and it is very right of them to do so & very kind, but thus they are established men and can afford to take liberties. I think a popular lecture may be given to a mechanics institute5 or such like place when it [2 words illeg] a place of known [distinction] – Tomorrow I can better come of the nature of the audience, I w[oul]d believe the [1 word illeg] early [4 words illeg] like to [4 words illeg].
Very truly yrs | Geo. Wynne
RI MS JT/1/W/95
Whitehall: area in the City of Westminster (London), which is known for being the location of many governmental offices.
my son: George Wynne (1804–90), together with his first wife Anne, had three sons: Henry Le Poer Wynne (b. 1836), Edward Toler Wynne (b. 1837), and Francis George Wynne (b. 1846). This likely refers to either Henry or Edward.
the lecture: Tyndall’s lecture of 11 February at the RI (Tyndall discusses the lecture in letter 0713).
Finsbury Institution: refers to the LI at Finsbury Circus, where Tyndall had recently been offered the opportunity to lecture, which filled a vacancy left after the death of Gideon Mantell (see letters 0715 and 0713, n. 13).
mechanics institute: an educational institute created to provide technical education for working men.
Please cite as “Tyndall0716,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on