136 JAMES CLERK MAXWELL. [CHAP. V. 



folly of strict virtue and outward decency, of the magnifi- 

 cence, nay, of the duty of sinning, and of the identity of 

 virtue and vice, and of all opposites. He takes for his 

 friend one whom Wilson calls a very poor devil, who has 

 wonderful mechanical powers, but never attempts but once 

 the supposed object of his visit to earth, namely, tempta- 

 tion. He takes a more rational view of affairs than Festus 

 in general, but is so extremely refined from ordinary devils, 

 that the only passage sufficiently characteristic for ordinary 

 rapid readers to recognise is the sermon to the crowd, as the 

 speech in Hell is quite raw. He has not such an absolute 

 and intuitive sense of things as Festus, and does not change 

 so much according to his company. He seems a sincere, 

 good-natured, unselfish devil; while Festus is very change- 

 able, solemn when alone, jolly when with the jolly, drunk 

 with the drunk, open with Lucifer, reserved in good com- 

 pany, amorous with all women, talkative and serious with 

 all angels and saints, stern towards the unfortunate, and in 

 all his affections altogether selfish. 



The book is said to have a plan, but no plot. The plan 

 is an exposition of the state of a man's mind after having 

 gone through German metaphysics. It was one destitute of 

 notions, and has now been convinced that all these notions 

 are one and the same. It is neither meat, nor drink, nor 

 rank, nor money, nor any common thing he wants : " he is 

 sure it isn't," and he is sore troubled for want of some great 



thing to do; and when L r starts into proximity he is 



the very being he wanted to speak to ; " he knew who it 

 would be," and recognises him at once. An opportunity is 

 thus given for showing two ways of thinking about things, 

 and therein lies the matter of the book. This may be seen 



in L r's sermon and Festus' prayer. To turn and get 



out of the confusion of this letter, pray let me hear your 

 opinion of the book. It may be considered thus: 



1. People read the book and wonder, why ? 



It is not read for the sake of the story that is plain; 

 nor for the clearness with which certain principles are 

 developed, nor for the consistency of the book, nor for the 



