172 JAMES CLERK MAXWELL. [CHAP. VI. 



logical Essays was brought to a crisis through his 

 deprivation of his office by Principal Jelf. Disputa- 

 tion on this theme was nowhere more rife than 

 amongst the scholars of Trinity, and Maxwell's re- 

 marks upon it will be read with interest even now. 

 He was from the first strongly attracted by Maurice's 

 combination of intense Christian earnestness with 

 universal sympathy, and although he sometimes felt 

 that the new teacher was apt to travesty the Popular 

 Theology in trying to delineate it, he had a deep 

 respect for what was positive in his doctrine. He was 

 still more drawn to him when he came to know him 

 personally, no longer as a writer, but as a friend. 

 A mention of Thomas Erskine of Linlathen in Mr. 

 Maxwell's letter of 16th December 1853, was probably 

 occasioned by some question raised in connection with 

 Mr. Maurice. 



The following letter, addressed to me by the Eev. 

 G. W. H. Tayler, will be read with interest in the 

 light of the preceding narrative : 



Holy Trinity Vicarage, 



Carlisle, 4th March 1882. 



MY DEAR SIR You have asked me to send you some 

 account of James Maxwell, as I remember him during the 

 space of three years, 1852, 1853, and 1854. My first 

 acquaintance with him was about February 1852. I 

 was soon attracted by the frankness of his manner and the 

 singular charm of his quaint and original remarks in con- 

 versation. 



We undergraduates felt we had a very uncommon 

 personage amongst us ; but we did not then appreciate his 

 rare powers. We had of course heard of the reputation 

 which he had at Edinburgh. 



