166 Special General Meeting. [Dec. 15, 



promoted the objects of the Institution, and conspicuously enhanced 

 its reputation, while at the same time he extended scientific truth, 

 and rendered many new additions to natural knowledge practically 

 available for the service of mankind ; and that the members of the 

 Royal Institution further desire to convey to Mrs. Tyndall an ex- 

 pression of their sincere sympathy and condolence with her in the 

 bereavement she has sustained in the loss of her gifted and distinguished 

 husband." 



Sir Richard Webster, in seconding the resolution, said : Ladies 

 and gentlemen, — I possess no qualifications specially qualifying me to 

 second the resolution which has been proposed in such eloquent 

 and touching language by Sir James Crichton-Browne. After listen- 

 ing to his speech, my own feeling would be to content myself with 

 simply seconding the proposition without further words ; but it is 

 fitting that on such occasion one who may be said to represent the 

 general public should join in the expression of sympathy and sorrow. 

 Our first thoughts to-day must be for her that is left behind, who 

 has with such wonderful tenderness watched over Tyndall's life ; no 

 words can too fully express our feeling for her. Of Tyndall I may 

 be permitted to say that no one could hear him lecture without 

 catching something of the spirit which he threw into everything 

 which he undertook, making each subject that he handled appear to 

 be peculiarly his own. Others, who follow me, will speak as I 

 cannot venture to do of his work, but I well remember when I was 

 quite a boy attending lectures given by Tyndall in this building, 

 and I was always impressed by the extraordinary facility which he 

 had of making people understand subjects of which, when they 

 entered the room, they were absolutely ignorant. Tyndall had an 

 extraordinary power of generalisation, which he seemed almost by 

 instinct to have acquired, so that he was able not only from his own 

 researches but from the careful study of the researches of others, 

 to state a proposition in such a way that it defied criticism, and 

 at the same time proved an invaluable guide to others. He also 

 had an extraordinary power of clear exposition, which enabled even 

 the ignorant and unlearned to feel that he was imparting to them 

 some portion of his great knowledge. Perhaps his greatest charac- 

 teristic was that earnest power for work, which he not only displayed 

 himself but infused into all those who worked with him, and which 

 was, perhaps, not the least valued part of that heritage which he 

 has left to this Institution. 



Sir John Lubbock said : I am not competent to express an opinion 

 as to the value of Prof. Tyndall's scientific work, but no doubt 

 you have called on me as one of his very oldest friends. It was my 

 privilege to make many excursions with him, and I look back upon 

 them as among the greatest privileges of my life. His was a noble 

 and generous nature, and his conversation was not only full of in- 

 struction, but what is better still, inspired one with a love of science. 



