Prof. Tyndall on the History of Calorescence. 225 



revived. I resolved then and there not to interfere with Dr. 

 Akin, to suspend the experiments I had planned, and leave the 

 subject entirely in his hands throughout the summer. During 

 the months of April, May, and June my assistant was employed, 

 under my direction, on an investigation which he afterwards 

 published in the August Number of the Philosophical Maga- 

 zine, while I occupied my leisure with other matters. The 

 naked facts stand thus : — On Wednesday the 30th of March, 

 I write to Dr, Akin stating that I had devised a series of expe- 

 riments to be undertaken on my return to town. On the very 

 day of my arrival the execution of these experiments is post- 

 poned, and not a word is heard of them until the end of 

 October. 



Meanwhile Dr. Akin had pursued his experiments at Oxford, 

 and had sent in the following Report of his performances to the 

 President of the Physical Section of the British Association. 

 The document is dated from the Cavendish Club, London, 15th 

 September, 1864. 



" I am sorry to have to state that, owing to the scarcity of clear 

 sunshine at Oxford last summer, and to Mr. Griffith being mostly- 

 unable to give his time to our work when the weather happened to 

 be favourable to it, the experiments were left in August unfinished. 

 I had the greater reason to feel disappointed at such a conclusion, 

 as the methods and apparatus devised for the purpose appeared, 

 from preliminary trials, competent to effect, in part at least, the pro- 

 posed object, and as our preparations for the more decisive experi- 

 ments were in a very forward state. Meanwhile I have received 

 fresh testimony from several esteemed quarters to the importance of 

 the research thus partially accomplished, which makes me feel yet 

 deeper regret at seeing the matter after two years' labour, and nearly 

 three years' thought and trouble — some of it unexpectedly galling — 

 still in abeyance." 



After the Bath Meeting of the British Association, Dr. Akin 

 also wrote thus to the President of the Association : — " I now 

 beg leave to state that, after the experience of the last two 

 years, it would be a hopeless undertaking for me to con- 

 tinue at Oxford the experiments begun there. Moreover I am 

 not sure whether, after the end of the present year, I shall 

 be able to give my attention any longer to scientific researches/' 

 Supposing Dr. Akin to be perfectly satisfied in his own mind 

 that he had entered into a definite engagement with me, does 

 it not seem odd that he should not have hinted at this 

 engagement, either in his Report or in his letter ? When he 

 stated that he had abandoned hope in Oxford, it would surely 

 have been natural to add that he had not abandoned it in 

 London. The fact seems to be that Dr. Akin had no clear con- 



