2 Marine Parade | Hythe | Kent.1 | Dec. 27. / 53.
Dear Dr Tyndall.
I am much obliged to you for writing.2 I could not make out from Sir Henry3 what had passed between you & him.4 I know him so well that I deemed matters to be exactly as you have stated. He is the very type of an indefinite dodger & requires to be dealt with as such. To get any decided arrangement out of him without first frightening his wits into concentration is impossible. You or you in conjunction with us, already at Jermyn Street,5 must come to an understanding & make Sir Henry assent. Of himself he never will originate a distinct proposal, unless with a view of distinctly shirking it as soon as he can.
Now as far as I can gather, the duties which would really be required would be about the following – a course of about thirty lectures – i.e. one or two more or one or two less as might suit yourself – to be given either before Christmas or during the months of April, May & June as might be arranged in council;6 I believe the former time would be preferable. Besides the lectures occasional examinations would be held, much according to your discretion & in agreement with the general guidelines of the place, & in undertaking the lectures you would of course undertake to assist any arrangements necessary for their success. Besides the school lectures you would be expected to take your turn in the working man’s evening course7 a patriotic act the precise arrangement of which depends of the particular year & on ourselves in council assemblies. You would attend as member of the council whenever you possibly could. I know of no other duties than these that would be asked for. What think you?
ever most sincerely | Edward Forbes
I do not write officially but as one of a body who would like much to have you with us & lecture here & quote the general sentiments being very [collegial].
RI MS JT/1/F/26
Hythe | Kent: Hythe was a small market town located on the southeast coast of England, in the county of Kent.
obliged to you for writing: see letter 0859.
Sir Henry: Henry De la Beche.
between you and him: Tyndall had been (unsuccessfully) negotiating with De la Beche about taking up a position at the Government School of Mines (see letters 0824; 0844; 0846; 0847; and 0856, n. 2). See also letters 0858 and 0859, which document his frustrations with the process.
Jermyn Street: see letter 0859, n. 4.
council: Council of the School of Mines.
the working man’s evening course: beginning in the early 1850s, the Museum of Practical Geology began offering ‘working men’s lectures’; the admission charge was six pence to attend a series of six lectures (H. De la Beche, ‘Museum of Practical Geology’, Accounts and Papers: Session 4 November 1852–20 August 1853 [London: House of Commons, 1853], vol. 58, pp. 21–3).
Please cite as “Tyndall0861,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on