148 JAMES CLERK MAXWELL. [CHAP. VI. 



except in so far as he desired to please his father. 

 His own prime motive was undoubtedly the hope, in 

 which he was not disappointed, that the larger College 

 would afford him ampler opportunities for self-im- 

 provement. 



To LEWIS CAMPBELL, Esq. 



St. Peter's College, 18th Oct. 1850. 



19. You tell me to lay my account with being dull at first, 



and to condole with Eobert, whereas there is continual 

 merriment (stop it!), and Eobert is not settled yet. As for 

 secrets of nature, they are not for Freshmen even to think 

 of. Now for personal journal, with observations on the 

 manners and customs, etc. . . . 



We spent the night at Peterborough, and saw the 



Cathedral in the morning. Very grand outside. West end 



a fine subject for calotype seen right perpendicular, and the 



o^ point P for a picture made by hand, fine weeping 



willows, etc. 



Proceeded to Ely with some Gloucester people we met 

 in the Cathedral, and inspected Ely Cathedral like regular 

 Archbishops. Went up the steeple to see land like sea. 

 Heard all the people talking of the enclosure of the Wash 

 to be called Victoria county, and to be worth 30s. per acre. 

 Got to Cambridge, and called on Mr. Fuller, 1 after getting 

 room for my father (as the Bull was full) in a lodgement, 

 Got rooms in College, sitting and bed, six paces from Chapel, 

 and good light. Had Tait to tea. Next day breakfast with 

 Tait and Steele (of Glasgow and Ireland, and a future 

 wrangler), and so on in detail. 



M'Kenzie came up to-day. He took us to most of the 

 colleges. Saw Newton and Bacon in Trin. Chapel. At 

 Hall there was a proclamation to this effect nearly: 

 Whereas (on the day of , 1850), application was 

 made to the Syndicate (or Senate or something), by William 

 Cooke, for leave to erect his equestrian establishment ; and 



1 Then Tutor of Teterhouse, now Professor Emeritus of Aberdeen. 



