XV111 



JOHN TTNDALL was born at Leighlin Bridge, near Carlow, in Ire- 

 land, on the 21st of August, 1820, and the early years of his life, up 

 to the age of 19, were spent in this village, where he received in- 

 struction in the school of one John Conwill, who seems to have been 

 a man of somewhat original and independent character. Not mnch is 

 known of the subjects taught to Tyndall in this school, but he cer- 

 tainly acquired there a very thorough knowledge of elementary 

 mathematics and geometry. Classics did not form part of the cur- 

 riculum ; for, at the age of 27 he was still unacquainted with the 

 Latin language. 



On leaving school at the age of 19, he obtained an appointment as 

 assistant in the division of the Ordnance Survey at Carlow. About 

 two years later, Tyndall came to England and attached himself to a 

 Manchester firm of railway engineers, by whom he was employed in 

 levelling, surveying, and making out plans and estimates in accord- 

 ance with the rules of the Board of Trade. In this occupation he 

 seems to have spent about five or six years of his life, and the experi- 

 ence thus gained during the so-called railway mania, doubtless, con- 

 tributed in no small degree to his subsequent love of pursuits which 

 necessitated accuracy of measurement and logical reasoning. 



In the year 1847, he became acquainted with the late George 

 Edmondson, who, at that time, was endeavouring to introduce into a 

 large private boys' school at Preston instruction in the elements of 

 experimental science. In the spring of that year Mr. Edmondson 

 undertook, at the instigation of the Socialists who were under the 

 leadership of Robert Owen, to transform their abortive establish- 

 ment, " Harmony Hall," into a school and agricultural college, which 

 received the name of " Queenwood College." Here, for the first time 

 in an English school, experimental science was practically taught 

 in the laboratory and in the field, and Tyndall, although at con- 

 siderable pecuniary loss to himself, was easily persuaded to become a 

 teacher of mathematics and surveying in this new establishment, 

 being chieQy influenced, as he himself declared, by the opportunity 

 afforded him of working in a chemical laboratory. 



Tyndall remained at Queen wood College, where he had an enthu- 

 siastic class of pupils who were greatly attached to him, until the 

 autumn of 1848, when he accompanied the writer to Marburg, there 

 to continue his study of chemistry in the laboratory of Professor 

 Bunsen. He did not, however, confine his attention to chemistry, 

 but attended also the classes of the professors of mathematics and 

 physics. Indeed, by far the larger portion of his time, during his 

 first year at Marburg, was spent in mathematical work. 



In the year 1850 he graduated in the Philosophical Faculty, taking 

 mathematics for his principal subject in viva voce examination, and, 

 for the two subsidiary subjects, chemistry and physics. Before 



