South Hindley | Wakefield | Yorkshire | Jan 1st 1865
My Dear John.
A happy and successful year to you! May you, before its close, triumph over the few who look upon your career with malevolent envy,1 not so much by crushing and righteous protestations, as by high and true-spirited scientific achievements.
With this thought uppermost your old friend’s heart warmed towards you as the new year dawned which may possibly rob him of what he feels more then ever to have been his highest earthly blessing—daily intercourse with his ‘better self.’2
Testimonials are arriving daily3 you shall read them shortly and judge for yourself to what use I can best put them. Rest assured I will make no further step4 without your full approbation.
I shall reach you at latest on Wednesday next. I thought of doing so tomorrow but Harley5 very much wishes to see me on Tuesday6 and if I can do so without prejudice to more important matters I will. Monday morning’s post will decide.
Ever yours affectionately | T. A. Hirst
RI MS JT/2/10/ 323
with malevolent envy: a reference to the dispute that Tyndall had had in 1864 with C. K. Akin. For further discussion see the introductory essay for this volume and letters 1925, 2075, 2076, 2079, 2114, 2162, 2167, 2168, 2170, 2173, 2182, 2183, 2190, 2197, 2198, 2201, 2204, and 2208.
daily intercourse with his ‘better self’: Hirst was looking for employment, which he thought might take him away from his shared living arrangements with Tyndall. He wrote in his journal entry for 1 January 1865: ‘My ordinary work and life has been entirely changed by the steps I have taken in reference to the Cork Professorship. The momentous question for me is—am I to try for it or not? The position and emolument would be acceptable enough, but the price at which I shall have to purchase both is great. It will involve my leaving London, and changing entirely my friends and my life. To leave London is the great obstacle. For me it is the centre of all scientific interest, and there dwells, and will always dwell, my constant and true hearted friend—John Tyndall. He too is at a loss how to advise me. I have had two letters from him unfavourable to my leaving London, but leaving the final decision until we meet’ (Brock and Macleod, Hirst Journals, p. 1712). One of the letters Hirst referred to is 2206, and the other is missing.
Testimonials are arriving daily: presumably for a position in Ireland; see letter 2210. In his journal in December 1864, Hirst wrote ‘I received excellent letters and testimonials from Key, Cayley and Salmon’ (p. 1711) and on 8 January 1865 he wrote ‘I found splendid testimonials awaiting my return to London from Smith (of Oxford) Sylvester, Borchardt and Cremona’ (p. 1713).
I will make no further step: in his journal entry for 8 January 1865, Hirst noted that as a result of meeting with Tyndall, he was persuaded not to apply after all: ‘Tyndall was at Lamas and goes there again to day. He has decided for me with respect to the Cork Professorship and my mental disquietude is at an end. I shall take no further steps in the matter and remain in London’ (p. 1713).
Harley: Robert Harley (1828–1910), a British mathematician and Congregational minister. He served in the ministry at at Brighouse, Yorkshire and was the chair of mathematics and logic at Airedale College from 1864–8. A focus of his mathematical research was the theory of equations (ODNB).
to see me on Tuesday: in his journal entry for 8 January 1865, Hirst wrote: ‘I left Hiendley on Tuesday [10 January] with Rachel and Isabella and went to Brighouse where I dined with uncle and aunt Allatt and Mr Harley’ (p. 1712).
Please cite as “Tyndall2209,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on