ered by a
character of this kind, rendered his counsel peculiarly precious to
men sensitive like himself. I often sought that counsel, and, with
your permission, will illustrate its character by one or two typical
instances.

In 1855, I was appointed examiner under the Council for Military
Education. At that time, as indeed now, I entertained strong convictions
as to the enormous utility of physical science to officers of artillery
and engineers, and whenever opportunity offered, I expressed this
conviction without reserve. I did not think the recognition, though
considerable, accorded to physical science in those examinations at
all proportionate to its importance; and this probably rendered me more
jealous than I otherwise should have been of its claims.

In Trinity College, Dublin, a school had been organized with reference
to the Woolwich examinations, and a large number of exceedingly
well-instructed young gentlemen were sent over from Dublin, to compete
for appointments in the artillery and the engineers. The result of
one examination was particularly satisfactory to me; indeed the marks
obtained appeared so eloquent that I forbore saying a word about them.
My colleagues, however, followed the usual custom of sending in brief
reports with their returns of marks. After the results were published,
a leading article appeared in 'The Times,' in which the reports were
largely quoted, praise being bestowed on all the candidates, except the
excellent young fellows who had passed through my hands.

A letter from Trinity College drew my attention to this article,
bitterly complaining that whereas the marks proved them to be the best
of all, the science candidates were wholly ignored. I tried to set
matters right by publishing, on my own responsibility, a letter in
'The Times.' The act, I knew, could not bear justification from the War
Office point of view; and I expected and risked the displeasure of my
superiors. The merited reprimand promptly came. 'Highly as the Secretary
of State for War might value the expression of Professor Tyndall's
opinion, he begged to say that an examiner, appointed by His Royal
Highness the Commander-in-Chief, had no right to appear in the public
papers as Professor Tyndall has done, without the sanction of the War
Office.' Nothing could be more just than this reproof, but I did not
like to rest under it. I wrote a reply, and previous to sending it took
it up to Faraday. We sat together befo