To Mary Helen Dawes   9th Jan. 1861

Royal Institution | 9th Jan. 1861

My dear M^rs Dawes,

The Dean’s last note¹ to me contained a reproach the sting of which I still feel. But indeed indeed, it was to you I intended to send the book² & not to him. Only the day previous to sending it I had some conversation about him, which brought him so prominently before my mind’s eye that on the spur of the moment I sent the book off to him.

I wish you ten times over a happy new year! I wish sincerely I could respond to the Dean’s kind invitation and escape to you for a week; but strong chains at present surround me. I have just emerged from the entanglements of a difficult original investigation and find myself in the entanglements of lecturing—I have two courses at the School of Mines this year, one at the Royal Institution; am examiner for four or five distinct classes of military candidates, and also examiner for the University of London—Thus you see my hands are filled & my head too, heaven knows. Still I shall not always be bound thus, & at some future day I hope to join Frankland again at your hospitable board.

Will you say to the Dean that I looked over the examination papers which he sent me, and the effect they had upon me was to excite the desire to be of some service to your schoolmaster Mr With,³ if I could. I know the people at Kensington, could I do anything for him there. The papers are exceedingly sound, and I should be glad to have an opportunity of stating this; if the statement would do any good. Do be good enough to ask the Dean to pardon my tardiness in responding to his last kind note.

Goodbye | & believe me | always yours most truly | John Tyndall.

Private Collection, via Frank James

RI MS JT/1/TYP/1/1321