Edinburgh | Nov. 20th 1854
My dear Dr Tyndall
The death of poor Edward Forbes, which took place on Saturday from disease of the kidneys after a few days illness,2 has suggested to me the possibility of your some day or other emigrating northwards. I suppose you know that James Forbes3 has been for some time in very delicate health, and it seems to me very probable that before long he will feel himself obliged to resign his Chair. Should this happen, what would you think of being a Candidate?4 The advantages of the Professorship are a certain status as professor, an income I should guess at about £800 or £1000, occupation that you delight in, and 6 months of leisure to follow out any investigation you were interested in. The drawbacks are giving up your old ties, and coming to town which is becoming every day more and more provincial, and where men’s minds and actions are cramped, cabined and confined.
However pray consider the matter and let me know if I might speak of you as one that would occupy the chair if it were vacant. It is in the gift of the Town-council, and my conviction is that your chance of success would be so good as to make your election next to a certainty
always very truly Yours | James Coxe
Do Dear Dr Tyndall think of this – Edinburgh is stupid enough I admit, (but you would be entirely free for half the year) and you would be the one that would redeem Sodom!5
Ask Dr Lyon Playfair – he knows this place well, and will I am sure tell you that there are some with whom you could ‘fraternize’. At all events think of it.
Yours ever | M.A.C.
Dr Tyndall.
RI MS JT/1/TYP/1/263a–263b.
LT Typescript Only
20 November 1854: LT noted in the top left corner of the letter: ‘Marked: “Private | J.T.”’.
The death of poor … few days illness: Edward Forbes died suddenly on 18 November 1854 (ODNB). Upon learning of his death, Tyndall recorded in his journal that ‘a genial manly soul is thus taken away from us’ (Journal, 20 November 1854, JT/2/13b/699). See also letter 1006.
James Forbes: James Forbes had been Professor of Natural History at the University of Edinburgh since 1833. He was plagued by illness from 1850 onwards, often having his lecturing duties carried out by others. Forbes did not resign, however, as Coxe suggested he might.
what would you think of being a Candidate?: while Tyndall replied with letter 1006, he also drafted another letter that was copied in his journal but was never sent (Journal, 27 November 1854, JT/2/13b/701).
you would … redeem Sodom!: Sodom refers to ‘an extremely wicked or corrupt place’ (OED), as described in Genesis 13–14. In order to ‘redeem’ Sodom, Abraham and the Lord negotiated and determined that 10 righteous men, or even just one – Abraham’s nephew Lot, would be needed (Genesis 18–19). The suggestion was that Tyndall may be able to redeem Edinburgh.
Please cite as “Tyndall1005,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on