32 JAMES CLERK MAXWELL. [CHAP. II. 



which all the domestics, probably at his command, are 

 also employed. At another he is "making seals" 1 

 with quaint devices, or improving upon his mother's 

 knitting. For he must early have attained the skill, 

 of which an elaborate example still exists, in " Mrs. 

 Wedderburn's Abigail," which will be described in the 

 next chapter, and was worked by him in his twelfth 

 year. 



Of his education in the narrower sense during 

 this period little is known, except that his mother had 

 the entire charge of it until her last illness in 1839, 

 and that she encouraged him to " look up through 

 Nature to Nature's God." 2 She seems to have prided 

 herself upon his wonderful memory, and it is said that 

 at eight years old he could repeat the whole of the 

 119th Psalm. His knowledge of Scripture, from his 

 earliest boyhood, was extraordinarily extensive and 

 minute ; and he could give chapter and verse for 

 almost any quotation from the Psalms. His know- 

 ledge of Milton also dates from very early times. 

 These things were not known merely by rote. They 

 occupied his imagination, and sank deeper than any- 

 body knew. 



But his most obvious interests were naturally out 

 of doors. To follow his father " sorting " things about 

 the farm, or " viewing " recent improvements ; by and 



1 As mentioned in his letter to Miss Cay of 18th January 1840. 



2 When James, being eight years old, was told that his mother 

 was now in heaven, he said, " Oh, I'm so glad ! Now she'll have no 

 more pain." Already his first thought was for another. 



