13th November 1864
My dear General
It is some years since I thought of Ball’s2 joining the Royal Society, but his nearest friends then expressed doubt about the matter. I then privately hoped that long before the year 1864 he would have accomplished something to render his election an act of necessary justice, but he has not done so. He has splendid talents and abundant leisure, and still he will not converge himself on any definite piece of work and complete it. You say he is about the highest Alpine botanist; I believe he is, but there his knowledge lies, in his own brain.
He can make this knowledge public & he ought to be urged to do it. A man of his popularity and attainments, backed by a small amount of original work, bearing the mark of thought and labour, will be elected by acclamation.
I will sign his certificate if he be brought forward,3 but I am sure you would not counsel me to be the leader in a movement to which I could only give half my heart.
Believe me dear friend | Yours ever truly | John Tyndall
RI MS JT/2/10/298
Please cite as “Tyndall2175,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on