6 Upper York Place | St. John’s Wood.1 | Feb. 25th. 1853.
My dear Tyndall,
Having rushed into more responsibility than I wotted of,2 I have been ruminating and taking counsel what advice to give you. When I wrote I hardly knew what kind of work you had in your present office, but Francis3 has since enlightened me. I thought you had more leisure. One thing is very clear – you must come out of that. Your Pegasus is quite out of place ploughing.4 You are using yourself up in work that comes to nothing, and so far as I can see cannot be worse off.
Now what are your prospects? Why as I told you before you have made a succès here and must profit by it. The other night your name was mentioned at the Philosophical Club5 (the most influential scientific body in London) with great praise. Gassiot, who has great influence, said in so many words ‘you had made your fortune’ – and I frankly tell you I believe so too if you can only get over the next three years. So you see that quoad6 position, like Quintius Curtius7 there is a ‘fine opening’ ready for you.8 Only mind you don’t spoil it by any of your horrid modesty.
So much for glory,– now for Economies. I have been trying to ferret out more nearly your chances of a post, and here are my results (which I need not tell you must be kept to yourself).
At the Museum in Jermyn St.,9 Playfair, Forbes, Perry,10 and I think Sir Henry,11 would do anything to get you, and eliminate Hunt,12 but so far as I can judge the probability of his going is so small, that it is not worth your while to reckon upon it. Nevertheless it may be comforting for you to know that in case of anything happening these men will help you tooth and nail. Cultivate Playfair when you have a chance – he is a good fellow, wishes you well, has great influence and will have more. Entre nous,13 he has just got a new and important post under government.14
Next, the Royal Institution. This is where, as I told you, you ought to be – looking to Faraday’s place. Have no scruple about your chemical knowledge; you won’t be required to train a college of students in abstruse analyses; and if you were, a year’s work would be quite enough to put you at ease. What they want, and what you have, are clear powers of exposition – so clear that people may think they understand even if they don’t. That is the secret of Faraday’s success, for not a tithe15 of the people who go to hear him really understand him.
However I am afraid that a delay must occur before you can get placed at the Royal Institution, as you cannot hold the Professorship until you have given a course of lectures there, and it would seem that there is no room for you this year.16 However I must try and learn more about this.
Under these circumstances the London Institution looks tempting. I have been talking over the matter with Forbes17 whose advice I look upon as first-rate in all these things, and he is decidedly of the opinion that you should take the London Institution if it is offered to you. He says that lecturing there and lecturing at other Institutions and writing you could with certainty make more than you at present receive, and that you would have the command of a capital laboratory and plenty of time.
Then as to the position – of which I was doubtful – it appears that Grove has made it a good one.
It is of great importance to look to this point in London – to be unshackled by anything that may prevent you taking the highest places – and it was only my fear on this head that made me advise you to hesitate about the London Institution. More consideration leads me to say, take that if it will bring you up to London at once, so that you may hammer your reputation while it is hot.
However, consider all these things well, and don’t be hasty. I will keep eyes and ears open and inform you accordingly. Write to me if there is anything you want done, supposing always there is nobody who will do it better – which is improbable.
Ever yours | T.H. Huxley
IC HP 8:9
RI MS JT/TYP/9/2859–2861
LT Typescript Only
St. John’s Wood: area in northwest London.
wotted of: know of (OED).
Francis: William Francis.
Your Pegasus … place ploughing: Pegasus is a symbol of wisdom and fame. The allusion is that Tyndall (akin to the mythical winged horse, Pegasus) should aspire to greater things.
Philosophical Club: the Philosophical Club of the Royal Society was formed in 1847 and was a dining club that met before the monthly meetings of the Society.
quoad: from the Latin, with respect to (OED).
Quintius Curtius: Quintus Curtius Rufus, Roman historian from the first century BCE, wrote the only extant Roman historical text on Alexander the Great. He is not known to have written anything else, nor was his work ever referred to by any other ancient text.
‘fine opening’…you: referring to the opportunity Tyndall has before him to make a name for himself within the scientific community, as Curtius did for Roman history.
At the Museum in Jermyn St: see letter 0718, n. 4.
Perry: likely refers to either James or Stephen Perry, brothers who invented a slit pen nib and owned a pen manufacturing company in Red Lion Square.
Sir Henry: Henry De la Beche.
Hunt: Robert Hunt (1807–87), a scientist involved in research on light and experimental physics, was at the time Professor of Mechanical Science at the Government School of Mines.
Entre nous: French, between ourselves.
Playfair … new and important post under government: Playfair had recently been made secretary for science in the Department of Science and Art.
tithe: a tenth part of (OED).
no room for you this year: note that Tyndall had already been offered (letter 0717) and agreed (letter 0720) to give a course of lectures at the RI.
Forbes: LT placed a cross here and noted ‘Ed Forbes’ in the margin.
Please cite as “Tyndall0721,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on