2nd. May 1854.
My dear Tom
It would be very unreasonable in us to expect you to give a translation of Kohlrausch1 and a report of Wertheim2 this [month]. If you send us Kohlrausch we shall be quite satisfied. I have found such obstacles as you are now encountering3 of the greatest service to me, for they have driven me to study subjects of importance which I should have otherwise passed over in a superficial manner. As soon as I get a little time I will write more reports though I have scarcely any other inducement than the instruction to be derived from writing them. Faraday found on submitting heavy glass and other bodies to the action of a magnet or of an electric current that the plane of polarization was turned as in the case of the sugar solution, the direction of rotation depending on the direction of the current and changing with the latter.4 The apparatus to which Wertheim refers5 is a magnet, but the poles are perforated so that a ray of light can be sent in an axial direction through any transparent body placed between the poles, the said ray being observed by a person placed behind the other pole. Suppose you send a ray already polarized through such a body and conceive a plate of tourmaline6 placed before the observer’s eye; he will see a maximum of light in a certain position of the plate. Now excite the magnet. The light is quenched or diminished, for this position of the tourmaline, and in order to find the place of maximum strength you must turn the plate round: the angle through which you must turn the plate expresses the amount of the rotation of the plane of polarization.
I read your remarks about Iliff7 with great interest and great concern. I think you acted the very wisest part to state your plain feelings to him, and this mode of acting will tell far more upon a sincere man, and tend more to secure him to Queenwood than if you had endeavoured to bolster up a case for E8—he is the most miserable solecism9 I ever encountered. But I trust you will be able to smelt Iliff into your nucleus and induce him to work for a higher ideal than that of pleasing Mrs. E.10 Iliff I suppose has been much in Mummery’s company if so I am not surprised at his discontent as you may be assured the former, to assign a reason for his leaving has not spared Queenwood. But tell me Tom, do you not think the school in a healthy condition? It appeared to me to be so when I was there. There was a spirit of cheerfulness and activity apparent everywhere which I think must be accepted as a sign of health. Perhaps the 7 different systems might have much said in their favour, perhaps this apparent irregularity tends to strengthen both teachers and taught. If you thought well of it, I will write a note to Iliff – it is a pity to lose such a man if the loss could be avoided. If this be not the case, if he is determined to go, why boy let him.
We had Whewell last Saturday. He gave us a good lecture11 which gave general satisfaction. He did not by any means fill the measure which would have satisfied either your thirst or mine upon the subject. He talked a good deal of Socrates12 and Plato13 which interested me very much. Prince Albert14 was in the Chair and there was a good full house. Faraday comes on next Saturday15
I went out to Bevington on Sunday evening and spent a few hours in a truly cordial and pleasant manner with him. I did not know of that little matter to which you allude,16 nor did he tell me. He is a very choice good soul and I am glad we found him out.
Affectionately yours | John
It behoves Edmondson to look out for a classic at once enough to have his man marked before school breaks up. But if not drawn to this he will neglect it.
RI MS JT/1/HTYP/338
LT Typescript Only
a translation of Kohlrausch: see letter 0926, n. 4.
a report of Wertheim: see letter 0926, n. 2.
such obstacles as you are now encountering: in letter 0926, Hirst noted that in order to give a report on Wertheim’s paper (see n. 2), he had to learn a great deal about optics. This interfered with his mathematical investigation.
Faraday found … the latter: see letter 0926, n. 6.
The apparatus to which Wertheim refers: see letter 0926, n. 5.
tourmaline: ‘a brittle pyro-electric mineral, occurring in crystals, also massive, compact, and columnar, originally obtained from Ceylon’ (OED).
your remarks about Iliff: Iliff, a teacher at Queenwood, was considering leaving his position at the school (see letter 0926).
E: George Edmondson.
solecism: ‘a breach or violation of good manners or etiquette; a blunder or impropriety in manners’ (OED).
Mrs. E.: Anne Edmondson.
a good lecture: reference to Whewell’s lecture of 29 April, which was the first of the RI’s Lectures on Education (see W. Whewell, ‘Influence of the History of Science Upon Intellectual Education’, Lectures on Education [London: J. W. Parker & Son, 1854], pp. 3–36).
Socrates: see letter 0890, n. 12.
Plato: see letter 0855, n. 5.
Prince Albert: Franz Karl August Albrecht Immanuel (1819–61), prince consort of Queen Victoria, who played a major role in developing the Great Exhibition of 1851 (ODNB).
Faraday … next Saturday: reference to Faraday’s lecture of 6 May, which was the second of the RI’s Lectures on Education (see M. Faraday, ‘Observations on Mental Education’, Lectures on Education (London: J. W. Parker & Son, 1854), pp. 39–90)
that little matter to which you allude: in letter 0926, Hirst noted that Bevington had given Henry Hill a set of engraved spoons as a gift in celebration of his and Rebecca Hill’s marriage.
Please cite as “Tyndall0928,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on