TYNDALL AND HIS AMERICAN VISIT. 511 



drew their supplies. I managed to say all this and a good deal more without 

 exciting a murmur; nay, I was frequently interrupted by expressions of approval, 

 and when I ended the burst of applause was as hearty as I have ever heard. 



So this matter is past, and I am now preparing for Baltimore. I have re- 

 ceived innumerable requests and invitations to lecture, and could I hope to be 

 able to respond to them or any of them, I should send them to you and ask you 

 to select from the many those that you think most suitable. But I see no hope 

 of being able to prolong my visit beyond the end of January. I dare say I shall 

 be pretty well used up by that time. 



As regards science, the newspapers that I have glanced at here are very dull 

 and poorly reported. Perhaps I have not seen the best of them. . . . 



Always yours, John Tyndall. 



Baltimore, December 1, 1872. 



Nothing could be more genial and sympathetic than my reception at Balti- 

 more. They declare the lectures entirely successful. Both at Philadelphia and 

 here I have spoken very strongly about their duty as regards scientific investi- 

 gation. 



Washington, Welckerie Hotel, 15th St., December^ 1872. 



My Dear Yottmans: . . . The lectures here are going off well. Lincoln Hall 

 is crowded, and I am assured that no such audiences ever assembled in Washing- 

 ton before. I was brief the first night, but gave them two hours the second 

 night, and an hour and three quarters last night. By the way, when I came to 

 the hall I found to my horror that I had put the wrong notes in my pocket, and 

 so I had to speak for the hour and three quarters without once looking at a note. 



No sign of weariness or inattention was to be seen in the audience from first 

 to last. 



You will not forget the taking of quiet rooms for me. Expense is quite a sec- 

 ondary matter, so if the Brevoort be the best, please let me have rooms there. 

 Quiet is the great thing more precious than gold ; yea, than much fine gold. 



It is difficult to report these experimental lectures. Ordinary reporters can 

 not possibly do it. Now, if you think the New York papers desire to report the 

 lectures I might throw my notes into such a form as would help them, and let them 

 have a copy of the notes of each lecture. What do you say to this? 



I hope you are all right again. I am well aided here, and have brought a 

 colored man fi'om Philadelphia, who is very useful. 



Always faithfully yours, John Tyndall. 



Prof. Tyndall's lectures in New York were given in Cooper 

 Institute, then one of our largest public halls. It was densely 

 crowded throughout the course by the most intelligent people of 

 the city and adjacent towns, who listened with close and absorb- 

 ing attention. The ablest men of science and the professions, 

 successful men of business, and cultivated ladies followed him 

 with sustained enthusiasm, and it was felt that no such assem- 

 blages had ever before been gathered in New York. Much of 

 this success was due to the attractiveness of the experiments, and 

 much to the felicity of the professor's manner ; but the indica- 

 tions of an earnest desire to comprehend the argument and get a 

 thorough understanding of the phenomena presented were abun- 



