Sunday morning
My dear Tom
My head is weary and I will rest it by writing to you. I was in fine working trim a few days ago but I pushed things a little too far and am now compelled to draw up. My general health is good and I know when my brain is rested that I shall be a strong man once more. But what displeases me is that it requires too much rest. If you come over a few days before my first lecture2 commences your presence will be medicinal to me for I find mere diversion of thought of inestimable value to me. While Debus was here3 I worked but little and during the time my strength was continually increasing, until at his departure I was almost as strong as ever I was in my life – Now I know the success of my lectures4 will depend chiefly on the state of my health and I am therefore determined not to think too much about them, and your presence here lessen the great temptation I should experience if I were alone I want to ask you a business question just now. Don’t you think you could undertake a few translations for the Phil. Mag? You will find them of advantage to you in point of information and the funds they bring in will keep you in cigars and pocketmoney. You will be paid as I used to be – I feel an interest in this question now, as my name appears on the wrapper as one of the conductors of the Magazine.5 This is no gain to me. Francis requested me to permit it to be placed there, but as it is there I should not like it to be a mere sham. If I can improve the Magazine I will and I know you will help me to do so.
Affectionately yours | John
If you come soon I will set you to work translating – you must do something for the next number.
RI MS JT/1/HTYP/303a
LT Typescript Only
[8 January 1854]: give Tyndall’s reference to his upcoming lecture on Heat (see n. 2), this letter was presumably written on 8 January, which was a Sunday.
my first lecture: Tyndall’s introductory lecture on Heat, which took place on 17 January 1854 (see letter 0809, n. 6).
While Debus was here: see letter 0866, n. 3.
my lectures: Tyndall refers to his concerns that his condition may interfere with his ability to deliver his series of lectures at the RI (see letters 0726; 0783; 0789, n. 2; and 0865, n. 6). Tyndall had not been feeling well for much of December 1853 (Journal, JT/2/13b/642–52).
one of the conductors of the Magazine: Tyndall was likely recently asked to be a conductor or editor of the Phil. Mag. He was co-editor of the Phil. Mag. from 1854 until 1863.
Please cite as “Tyndall0867,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on