Broughton. | Decr 9th / 55
My dear John,
According to Chapman’s request1 I have shortened the notice of Faraday’s book by 600 words and sent it to him. Without relinquishing the original idea of the review I could not make the part on diamagnetism shorter than it now is, to do so would involve rewriting the whole review which I have by no means time to do. I have cut out, as you desired, the part about yourself. If I ever write another review for the Westminster I shall have a better notion of what is desired than I had when I began this. The coming week will of course be a busy one for me, examinations2 commence tomorrow. Shall we see you next Saturday Evening?3 I enjoyed yours and Bevington’s late visit4 very much. I feel to know Bevington much better than I did. He is indeed a genial kind-hearted soul. It was a great delight to me to listen to his scientific arguments with you and to notice the amount of real intelligence and thought they displayed in him. It was especially beautiful to notice the absence of all pretension in him and the graceful manner in which after long contesting he could cede a point. I noticed too a peculiarity in your arguments with Bevington which was instructive. I do not know whether you are aware that you have a habit when arguing with many people of trying their tempers. A man with moderate self-esteem and an irritable temper could never stand against you in argument not necessarily because his cause was weaker than yours or his ability less but chiefly because he would be in danger of losing his wits with his temper. I have noticed this in many instances (occasionally when I have been your opponent) it arises I think from the position you take of testing your adversaries knowledge round about the point in question. He is thus thrown off his own line of rails, his self-esteem is perhaps a little wounded by his knowledge being questioned, his temper is aroused and – he flounders. Well this was not the case with Bevington. There was little or no self-esteem to wound, little or no temper to rouse and he succeeded better than I have seen other people do in keeping his feet before you.
Anna is still suffering from the cold & cough. She desires her love to be sent with mine.
Your affectionate | T.A. Hirst.
RI MS JT/1/H/220
Chapman’s request: see letter 1162.
examinations: end of term school examinations at Queenwood College.
next Saturday Evening: Tyndall did not go to Queenwood on Saturday 15 December.
late visit: According to Hirst’s Journal, Tyndall and Bevington had visited Queenwood on Saturday 1 December and returned to London on Monday 3 December.
Please cite as “Tyndall1163,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on