1887 A DINNER TO TYNDALL 25 



have spoken to you. He has been slowly sinking for 

 some time, and this morning we had news of his death. 



Things have been very crooked for me lately. I had 

 a conglomerate of engagements of various degrees of im- 

 portance in the latter half of last week, and had to forgo 

 them all, by reason of a devil in the shape of muscular 

 rheumatism of one side, which entered me last Wednesday, 

 and refuses to be wholly exorcised (I believe it is my 

 Jubilee Honour).^ Along with it, and I suppose the 

 cause of it, a regular liver upset. I am very seedy yet, 

 and even if Fanning's death had not occurred I doubt if 

 I should have been ready to face the Tyndall dinner. 



The reference to this "Tyndall dinner" is ex- 

 plained in the following letters, which also refer to 

 a meeting of the London University, in which the 

 projects of reform which he himself supported met 

 with a smart rebuff. 



4 Maklborotjoh Place, 

 May 13, 1887. 



My dear Tyndall — I am very sorry to hear of your 

 gout, but they say when it comes out at the toes it flies 

 from the better parts, and that is to the good. 



There is no sort of reason why unsatisfied curiosity 

 should continue to disturb your domestic hearth ; your 

 wife will have the gout too if it goes on. " They " can't 

 bear the strain. 



The history of the whole business is this. A day or 

 two before I spoke to you, Lockyer told me that various 



^ On the same day he describes this to Sir J. Evans : — "I have 

 hardly been out of the house as far as my garden, and not much 

 off my bed or sofa since I saw you last. I have had an affection 

 of the muscles of one side of my body, the proper name of which 

 I do not know, but the similitude thereof is a bird of prey periodi- 

 cally digging in his claws and stopping your breath in a playful 

 way." 



