To Stephen Hawtrey

My dear Sir,

My object in asking you last night not to write to me was to allow myself an opportunity of saying a word or two which might influence you in your proceedings with regard to the lectures.¹ I had been led to entertain the idea that the boys² would prefer having the lectures strictly instructive rather than amusing, and this led me to aim at a more accurate and consequently I fear to the mass of the audience less interesting exposition than I might otherwise have adopted. I confess that it would have pleased me to have interested the boys and parted from them in friendship; and it would be a matter of great regret to me to find that instead of the spontaneous enlistment of their attention, coercion had been thought necessary to keep them in order. I refuse a great many applications for lectures every year, being desirous rather of devoting my time to original research, and I went to Eton³ partly influenced by your strong desire that I should do so, and partly by the natural liking which I feel for boys. It would therefore be a matter of great concern to me to find myself the indirect cause of the punishment of any one of them. Were it not that the sudden stoppage of the lectures might be taken as an evidence of anger or displeasure upon my part which I really do not feel, I would say let them stop now. But my impression is that it might be better to give one more and then cease. I would select a few of the best experiments in optics for the occasion and thus try to interest and gratify the boys. Or if you thought they would prefer some other subject I should be happy to meet their wishes as far as my ability will permit me to do.

I may say that it is not my intention to accept payment for these lectures. You will meet the expenses of the man whom I engage to accompany me,⁴ and we are then clear.

Very truly yours | John Tyndall

Reverend Stephen Hawtrey

RI MS JT/2/13c/1036

RI MS JT/1/TYP/9/221–3

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