Monday2
My dear Heinrich,
You are not “schuldig”3—it was the want of time that prevented me from writing—I have been compelled to make a hermit of myself, and not to go out anywhere for several weeks; and until the 20th of March I am determined to adhere to this rule. I am compelled to do this order to get my book done, and I hope to have it very nearly accomplished by the time that I have mentioned.
Meanwhile I am devoting to it every hour that I can command—when finished I think there will be some parts of it at least which will meet your approbation.
The death of Mrs Hofmann4 is one of the saddest things that I have heard of for some time—it affected me very deeply—as you say there is something bewildering in the thought of such youth, beauty & apparent strength being so suddenly cut away.
I am rejoiced to hear such good news from Queenswood.5 I hope it will continue to prosper.
Tom & I had a long walk yesterday:6 he is very well & busy with his mathematics.
A bookseller here wishes him to edit a French work on prizms—regarding which however he has not yet made up his mind.7
If I can I will join you for a race at Easter—to the Isle of Wight or elsewhere—before that as you say, my leaving London is quite out of the question
Believe me dear Heins | Ever yours | John Tyndall
RI MS JT/1/T/330
[late February to early March 1860]: This a conjectured date based on the discussion of Mrs Hofmann, who died 30 January 1860, and Tyndall’s decision to ‘make a hermit of myself’ in the several weeks leading up to 20 March.
The letter included a marginal note summary of the letter, possibly added by LT: ‘Shall be a hermit till 20th March. My book [compels] this [talk] of [Mrs] Hofmann. Tom & I [took a] walk yesterday - [good humoured and pleasing] | 1859’.
schuldig: German, translates to ‘guilty’.
The death of Mrs Hofmann: Rosamond Hofmann (née Wilson), born 11 February 1838 died 30 January 1860. Rosamond was August Hofmann’s second wife.
I am rejoiced to hear such good news from Queenwood: the letter with news from Debus is missing.
yesterday: a Sunday, uncertain date. Tyndall and Hirst spent much time together in this period.
A bookseller here: not identified.
Please cite as “Tyndall1685,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on