To Thomas Archer Hirst   Tuesday | April 5th. 1864

Tuesday | April 5^th. 1864

My dear Tom

I wrote to you yesterday¹ in the midst of my preparations—Now the 1^st working man’s lecture² is a thing of the past and this morn[in]g I have leisure to write to you more fully.

My first impulse on reading your letter³ was to start off at once to Ireland; but chained as I am here this is impossible, and your letter encourages me to hope that it is now unnecessary. Were I in your case I would take no decided step regarding University College until this fit of feebleness is past. We are different beings when ill and ought to distrust ourselves. I confess you do things that I should not dare to do, although I am not wanting in toughness. M^rs Tunstal⁴ told me how ill you were previous to going to Ireland, and I reconciled myself with a sigh to what I conceived to be a mistaken act on your part.

If when your strength augments you still retain the idea that it would be desirable to give up your post in University College⁵ then I would say in God’s name relinquish it. Even if you have not enough to carry you on I could readily supplement it. Longman⁶ for instance writes to me that the book⁷ is going off fast and Dumas⁸ has been introducing it to the French Academy.

Write to me again immediately. I do not understand the Kidney as I have never suffered in that region, and an evil that I do not understand is always formidable to me.

Good bye dear Tom | Yours affectionately | John Tyndall

M^rs. Lubbock⁹ I am sure will be grieved to hear that you are so ill.

RI MS JT/1/T/659

RI MS JT/1/HTYP/525