4th November 1859.1
My dear Mr. Barlow.
Might I request you to lay the following statement before our managers at their next meeting?
It is now more than five years since a chair of physics in the Government School of Mines was offered to me by the late Sir Henry De la Beche.2 I then feared that the acceptance of the position would interfere with my duties at the Royal Institution, and accordingly declined it.
Toward the end of last August I received a communication3 from Sir Roderick Murchison which contained a similar offer.4 it was accompanied by the following words: “You may perhaps feel some hesitation in accepting any offer which might weaken your allegiance to the Royal Institution; but I feel assured that you could carry out all our behests without in any way distracting from your other essential duties.” Letters from many of my personal friends5 connected with the School of Mines, all of them highly gratifying to me, reached me at the same time, or soon [afterwards].
Had this offer been made to me at a period of the year when our managers held their meetings, my first act would have been to lay the subject before them and ascertain their wishes regarding it. Under the circumstances I wrote to Mr. Faraday6 who was then in Scotland:7—I also endeavoured to see two of my friends8 who are managers of the Institution, but they were out of town. Mr. Faraday advised me to accept the appointment,9 and my two friends10 have since expressed opinions quite in harmony with that advice.
After the receipt of Mr. Faraday’s note11 I wrote to Sir Roderick Murchison12 accepting the Chair offered to me. This subsequent note to me contains the following words, which show the sentiments under which the offer was made and accepted:—“Your acceptance of the office of Professor in our establishment gave me and all concerned the utmost satisfaction. Rely upon it that I have too great a regard for the Royal Institution and every one of its officers to hamper you in any way as to duties which should or could interfere with the working of that admirable body.”
With regard to my duties at The School of Mines I may remark that they are quite different from those at the Royal Institution. In the former case my sole aim is to instruct a class of young men who are unacquainted with the rudiments of physics. This I do in the simplest manner possible, making a selection from the knowledge I possess, and putting that with life and vigour before them, but aiming at nothing new, either in the matter delivered, or in the form of the experiments. Unlike our audience of the R.I. the class renews itself almost yearly, so that the same course of lectures, is to be given every year.
Considering the honourable and friendly manner in which I have been treated by our managers, I should not willingly neglect any act which my respect or duty towards them might suggest. I think it is right that they should be made acquainted with the above facts, and if they come further information I shall be happy to supply it to the best of my ability.
Believe me | ever faithfully yours | John Tyndall
Rev[eren]d. John Barlow | &c &c &c | Hon. Sec. R.I.
Rev[eren]d. John Barlow | Hon. Sec. R.I. | Royal Institution | Albemarle Street.13
RI MS AD/03/D/04
The letter included a note ‘Tyndall’, which appears to have been added later.
Henry De la Beche: the geologist Henry De la Beche (1796–1855) was a central figure in establishing the Royal School of Mines, and was the first director of the Museum of Practical Geology.
I received a communication: letter missing.
a similar offer: Tyndall was offered a post at the Royal School of Mines, see letters 1635, 1639, 1640, 1641, and 1642.
Letters from many of my personal friends: only some of this correspondence is known, see letters 1638, 1639, n. 7, 1640, and 1641, n. 6.
I wrote to Mr. Faraday: letter missing.
who was then in Scotland: Faraday first learned about the offer through Huxley while in Scotland, see letters 1638, and 1640, n. 2.
two of my friends: not identified.
Mr. Faraday advised me to accept the appointment: see letter 1640.
my two friends: not identified.
Mr. Faraday’s note: see letter 1640.
I wrote to Sir Roderick Murchison: letter missing.
Rev[eren]d. John Barlow | Hon. Sec. R.I. | Royal Institution | Albemarle Street: on envelope.
Please cite as “Tyndall1644,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on