Sep. 1854.
My dear Tom
Although I am dreadfully pushed still I think I must write to you. Many thanks for the proof.2 The paragraphs were numbered, not by me, but by Hughes himself, and your remark serves simply to strengthen my determination to alter them. I will talk about the ‘information’ you require3 when we meet, five minutes conversation will save a great deal of writing. I have been engaged in a tolerably exhaustive comparison of magnetism and diamagnetism,4 and have I trust established a compete antithesis throughout, and proved beyond a doubt that diamagnetic bodies possess polarity the reverse of that of iron. Weber’s views and mine thus far coincide, but I am firmly convinced that Weber’s hypothesis is false.5 The experiments please me because they leave no doubt upon the mind and I have strengthened the action, and improved the mode of operation so as to permit me to detect the actions sought in masses of bismuth not a few grains in weight, but in cylinders 14 inches long and an inch in diameter. Feilitsch6 has written to me7 recently and sent me his recent memoirs8 where he professes to prove that diamagnetic bodies and magnetic ones possess the same polarity. Many of the actions which he failed to obtain I have succeeded in obtaining, and I imagine his experiments cannot stand for an instant in opposition to the evidence which I can bring to bear against them.
I had a note from Col. Sabine9 a few days ago saying that Dove had arrived and would be glad to see me – he is staying with Sabine, and I spent a very agreeable evening with him there.10 On Saturday evening I had both him and Faraday here to tea. We spent two or three hours quite delightfully – an uninterrupted and almost ardent flow of talk. We were all pleased. Faraday told me on going that he had not spent such an evening for years. Dove I and Francis spent yesterday at Windsor.11 I was suffering from a severe cold, but the excursion did me good and I am well to day.
What do you say if we meet at Winchester on Sunday12 Name any other place you like
Your affectionate | John
It is needless for me to say that I rejoice to hear of the cheering news from Ireland. Faraday asked me on Saturday ‘how is your young friend’ – meaning you – I told him you were about to get married.13
RI MS JT/1/HTYP/359
LT Typescript Only
[11] September 1854: based on Tyndall’s journal entries, and discussion of events of the week contained herein (see nn. 9–12), this letter was written on 11 September (Journal, JT/2/13b/688–90).
the proof: the proof was mentioned in Tyndall’s journal entry of 23 August 1854 (Journal, JT/2/13b/685). Possibly refers to S. Hughes, ‘Ueber den Ausfluss des Leuchtgases und Bewegung desselben in den Leitungsröhren’, Der Civilingenieur 1 (1854), pp. 61–6. Samuel Hughes (n.d.). Not further identified.
‘information’ you require: Hirst had asked Tyndall to write a short account of his ‘reasonings on the Diamagnetic and Magnetic problems’ (see letter 0968).
comparison of magnetism and diamagnetism: Tyndall would present the results of these experiments at the BAAS meeting in Liverpool (see letter 0966, nn. 3 and 4).
Weber’s views … hypothesis is false: presumably Tyndall he accepted Weber’s results and conclusion (on polarity of bismuth being the opposite to iron) but not the theory/hypothesis underlying it. (See Jackson, ‘Tyndall and Diamagnetism’, pp. 467–8, and 472–3; W. Weber, ‘Ueber die Erregung und Wirkung des Diamagnetismus nach den Gesetzes der inducierten Ströme’, Poggend. Annal. 73 [1848], pp. 242–56; and also letter 0958, n. 6).
Feilitsch: misspelling of Fabian Carl Ottokar von Feilitzsch (1817–85), Professor of Physics at the University of Greifswald, Germany. See also letter 1001, n. 3.
written to me: letter missing, although Tyndall noted its receipt in his journal on 9 September (Journal, JT/2/13b/690).
recent memoirs: Feilitzsch likely sent Tyndall these memoirs: Feilitzsch, ‘Erklärung der diamagnetischen Wirkungsweise durch die Ampère’sche Theorie’, Poggend. Annal. 92 (1854), 366–401, 536–76; and Feilitzsch, ‘Erklärung der diamagnetischen Wirkungsweise durch die Ampère’sche Theorie’, Annalen der Physik und Chemie (1852), pp. 87, 206–26, 427–54. See Jackson, ‘Tyndall and Diamagnetism’.
note from Col. Sabine: letter missing. However, Tyndall noted receipt of the letter in his journal on 4 September 1854 (Journal, JT/2/13b/688).
spent a very agreeable evening with him there: Tyndall dined at Col. Sabine’s home with Dove on 6 September 1854 (Journal, JT/2/13b/689).
spent yesterday at Windsor: on 10 September, Tyndall noted in his journal that he had ‘met Dove at Waterloo and took up Francis at Richmond. Walked from Windsor to Virginia Water where we dined – a long political discussion between Francis and Dove after dinner’ (Journal, JT/2/13b/690). See also letter 0966, n. 5.
Winchester on Sunday: Tyndall would meet Hirst on 17 September, having noted in his journal, ‘A glorious day on the Downs above Winchester with Tom’ (JT/2/13b/690). See also letter 0971.
about to get married: Hirst had recently become betrothed to Anna Martin (see letters 0949; 0951, n. 3; 0953; and 0954).
Please cite as “Tyndall0970,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on