My dear Francis
It just strikes me that I should like to write a line to you although I have but a few minutes at present to accomplish it. I seize the thought as it comes for there is no knowing this hot weather if I put it off when it will return to me. I am comfortably fixed as far as lodging is concerned in
Universitäts Strasse No. 4
2 Treppen Hoch Rechts.2
I have seen most of our friends since I came and am at present making a few experiments in Magnus’s laboratory.3 The result although unbedeutend4 are new and not altogether without interest. I was at Pöggendorffs5 a few evenings ago. Mrs. P.6 is evidently a great friend of Miss Francis7 – the [beete][1 word illeg] and [sauces] which were placed before me were staked by Miss Francis when she was in Berlin. Before I leave I hope to be able to send you something for the magazine8 though as before hinted at this hot weather is sufficient to squeeze every particle of energy out of a man. Could you manage to have a copy of that note to Plücker’s paper9 sent to de la Rive with the magazine? I should feel greatly obliged if you would do this and reserve a copy or two for myself. Among the things I am scraping up a few materials for my lectures. I shall soon be alone here. all the professors are going away. If Magnus goes to Paris it will be a great temptation to me to go along with him as he knows every body there already. Don’t be angry with me for sending you such a flat stale and unprofitable note. Kind remembrance to all at Richmond10 to [1 word illeg] & [1 word illeg]. & believe
[that I] sincerely yours | J Tyndall
StBPL T&F Author letters
19 July–12 August 1853: Similar to the text in this letter, in letters to Debus and Hirst dated 19 July and 23 July, respectively, Tyndall mentioned that he will soon be alone, as all the professors will be leaving (see letters 0785 and 0787).
2 Treppen Hoch Rechts: German, ‘second floor, right’.
Magnus’s laboratory: this was a private laboratory so likely located in Magnus’s house.
unbedeutened: German, ‘miniscule’ or ‘insignificant’.
Pöggendorffs: Johann Christian Poggendorff’s home in Berlin.
Mrs. P.: Poggendorff’s wife, Charlotte Eleanor Poggendorff (1805–65).
Miss Francis: Rachel Francis (1820–1913), Richard Taylor’s daughter, who had accompanied William Francis to Berlin in October 1839 (Brock and Meadows, Lamp of Learning, p. 116).
the magazine: the Phil. Mag.
that note to Plücker’s paper: see letter 0776, n. 5. Not otherwise identified.
Richmond: Richmond, Kingston upon Thames, a town southwest of London until 1890, when it became a suburban borough, called Richmond upon Thames. It was the home of the Taylor/Francis family.
Please cite as “Tyndall0786,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on