My dear Tom.
My work in London is over but no sooner am I free from it than I am overtaken by the Scientific Memoirs.2 It is a terrible pull upon me and I am now plunging in the midst of an immense Memoir on Diffraction by Schwerd.3 My election at the Royal Institution takes place on the 6th of July, 4 when the salary also commences. I start in 8 or 10 days for Berlin – I did think of going through paris but I almost think it best for my head and purse to keep my eye steadily on my journey’s end and to endeavour to reach it by the quickest route possible. What did it cost you from Berlin to Paris? Answer this question by return as it may have some influence upon my decision. I now want to ask you a business question or two. A new edition of our prospectus here5 is required of course my name sets and yours rises in its stead. How would you like your name to appear – Simply Dr. Thos. Hirst will look naked. I propose therefore that you state it thus – ‘Dr. Thomas Hirst of the Universities of Marburg and Berlin’ – you might I think add Paris also. Give me your answer to this immediately. I hope you will bear in mind all the experiments that you have seen. From a note6 I received this morning I learn that the directors of the Crystal Palace7 are likely to have a geyser constructed in consequence of a remark made in my lecture at the R.I.8 The drawings have already been submitted to Sir Joseph Paxton9 – It will be a splendid affair if properly carried out. My experiments succeeded well – If I dont go through Paris I suppose I shant see you for the next 6 months – If you are here on the 1st of August it will be early enough. Lodgings &c you will arrange about when you come. Be definite in all your statements to Mr E10 and compel him to definiteness also – you will thus get on well together.
Yours affectionately | John.
RI MS JT/1/T/563
RI MS JT/1/HTYP/244
[12 June 1853]: Hirst wrote ‘16th June 1853’ at the top of the letter but this likely refers to the day that he received it. As Tyndall said that his ‘work in London was over’ this likely referred to the end of his course of lectures on ‘Air and Water’ that finished on 11 June. It follows that Tyndall would have written Hirst the next day as he often wrote to Hirst on Sundays.
Scientific Memoirs: see letter 0698, n. 8.
Schwerd: see letters 0763, n. 9 and 0768, n. 1. Schwerd was neither translated into English nor published in any of the editions of Scientif. Mem.
My election … 6th of July: Bence Jones told Tyndall that his election would take place on 6 July, but it actually occurred on the 4th (see letter 0766, n. 4).
our prospectus here: at Queenwood College where Hirst was to take up a position with Tyndall’s departure (see letter 0746, n. 8).
a note: letter missing.
Crystal Palace: a cast-iron and plate-glass building erected in Hyde Park as part of the Great Exhibition of 1851. It was relocated to Sydenham Hill in 1853 where it was used for other exhibitions and events.
my lecture at the R.I.: see letter 0752, n. 10.
Joseph Paxton: Sir Joseph Paxton (1803–65), an English architect, and designer of the Crystal Palace for the Great Exhibition of 1851. He also aided in its relocation at Sydenham in 1853.
Mr E.: George Edmondson.
Please cite as “Tyndall0767,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on