Dublin | June 29th/1854
My dear John
The weather is still very changeable and my cold still clings to me and annoys me very much. It has attacked all my weak points. first it threatened my chest, then my throat and now it unfortunately resides in my jaws and keeps me awake very often during most part of the night. But I shall shake it off soon. Thanks to Simpson & family I have been well taken care of in Dublin and now I only wait for finer weather to continue my journey. Miss Martin is here too assisting Mrs S who has been in a delicate state of health.1 I delivered your compliments to all and I assure you they were kindly received and returned. Miss Martin is much improved and it is just possible that you may some day have to accept her as a daughter2 instead of a grand daughter I have said this to you but to no other soul as yet indeed it is but the expression of some vague notions that have floated about in my head for the last day or two and I feel half inclined to run my pen through it as being premature, the writing it has almost startled one but no matter you will know how to read it. I am in the midst of an experiment and you know I am a cautious fellow. Whatever may be the result you will hear of it and need not question me.3 I have received the letter you sent to Kilkenny4 and my first trip as soon as fair weather returns will be to Leighlin Bridge5 I will sit on the moat and think of you and your boyhood of our friendship and of many other things. This morning Bevingtons letter arrived.6 In answer to it I sincerely hope we may all three meet this year and spend a day together infact we will do so, but the 12th of July will be too early. I am afraid I do not think I shall return so soon, it will depend upon my purse I shall travel about until it is empty.
I have had a letter from Steiner this morning which has pleased me and which I will shew you when I come.
You will hear from me again very soon
Yours affectionately | T A Hirst
RI MS JT/1/H/200
RI MS JT/1/HTYP/348
Mrs S … state of health: Mary Simpson had birthed a son in March, so her condition may have been related to complications during childbirth (see letter 0898, n. 12).
as a daughter: see letter 0816, n. 11.
need not question me: Hirst described the result of this ‘experiment’ to Tyndall in letter 0953.
letter you sent to Kilkenny: letter missing, though Tyndall referred to it in letter 0945.
Leighlin Bridge: see letter 0784, n. 26.
Bevingtons letter arrived: letter 0944, which was enclosed in letter 0945.
Please cite as “Tyndall0949,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on