My dear Heins,
If a situation were open for which you wished to become a candidate there is no doubt that the fact of your being a fellow of the Royal Society2 would be of service to you.—This therefore might be a means of improving your Weltliche Stellung.3
Perhaps it would be as well if you allowed the matter to remain over for another year.—It is now rather late to commence operations.
I do not entertain a doubt as to your election.
If you see any prospect of applying for a situation during the coming year then I would say come forward at once: Still even should it occur; testimonials would do & I should myself in a few words settle the question as to you not being a Fellow of the Royal Society.
Ever yours | J. Tyndall
RI MS JT/1/T/329
This letter has been dated to April 1860 based on the discussion regarding the possibility of Debus becoming Fellow of the RS ‘during the coming year’. Debus was elected at the Annual Meeting for the Election of Fellows held on 6 June 1861. As Tyndall noted that it would be ‘now rather late to commence operations’ for the current year’s election, and the list of nominees for 1860 was decided in May 1860, this letter was likely written around April 1860. LT added a note ‘Monday | 1859 or 1860’. See also letter 1779.
being a fellow of the Royal Society: Debus was elected FRS in 1861.
Weltliche Stellung: worldly position.
Please cite as “Tyndall1696,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on