I’ve never thought it strange to do highly contrasting things. I always thought it was all part and parcel of theatrical expression. At school, I loved doing revues, I was in a rock ‘n’ roll...

In fact a favourite problem of [John Tyndall] is—Given the molecular forces in a mutton chop, deduce Hamlet or Faust therefrom. He is confident that the Physics of the Future will solve this easily.