SKETCH OF PROFESSOR TYNDALL. 109 



pressive. Yet the experiments are never the main things; they are always 

 subordinate to the idea with which he is dealing helps to its presentation. 

 He is never eclipsed by his own pyrotechny, but holds the attention of his 

 listeners closely to the question under examination. Prof. Tyndall is remark- 

 able for the combination of two traits which are but rarely united in a 

 single individual. He is an original explorer of scientific truth, and a skilful 

 and effective public teacher. Holding the truths of science to be divine, he is 

 impelled to dedicate his life to their discovery ; but holding them also to be a 

 means of salvation to man, he is impelled also to the duty of their public inter- 

 pretation. The Royal Institution, in which he is professor, is admirably con- 

 stituted for the attainment of this twofold end ; providing equally for carrying 

 out systematic original researches and for expounding their results to the select 

 audiences that gather in its lecture-room. Sir Humphry Davy first gave it a 

 world-wide reputation in both these departments; he was a fertile discoverer 

 and an eloquent lecturer. Dr. Faraday succeeded him, and probably surpassed 

 him in 'both of these accomplishments. The mantle of Faraday has fallen upon 

 Tyndall, and the fame of the establishment has not suffered from the change." 



Prof. Tyndall has long desired to visit the United States, to see his 

 many friends, and to observe the aspects of American life; while mul- 

 titudes in this country have reciprocated the desire, that they might 

 have the opportunity of listening to his lectures. Yielding to their 

 numerous appeals, he has prepared a course of six lectures, and 

 "brought with him a large amount of new and delicate apparatus, for 

 illustrating them. The lectures will embrace the phenomena and 

 laws of light : reflection, refraction, analysis, synthesis, the doctrine 

 of colors, and the extension of radiant action in both directions, be- 

 yond the light-giving rays into the region of invisible action. Then 

 will follow the principles of spectrum analysis, the polarization of 

 b>ht, the phenomena of crystallization, the action of crystals upon 

 light, the chromatic phenomena of polarized light, and the parallel 

 phenomena of light and radiant heat. These lectures will be a source 

 of rare intellectual enjoyment to those who will have the good fortune 

 to listen to them, and of which our citizens will not be slow to avail 

 themselves. 



We give, in the present number of the Monthly, the best likeness 

 we have ever seen of Prof. Tyndall. He is a man of medium stature, 

 lithe-built, highly vitalized, alert and noiseless in his movements ; a 

 ready and effective talker, but an excellent listener, and his manners 

 are genial and attractive. He is socially strong, a man of the world, 

 as well as a philosopher, and at home in all relations. But, with all 

 his passion for experiment, he has not yet made the experiment of 

 matrimony. 



