192 JAMES CLERK MAXWELL. [CHAP. VI. 



that one could not be surprised at hearing any one take part 

 in criticising his own action. 



In such a case some would recommend " a little whole- 

 some neglect." I would suggest something like the scheme 

 of self- emancipation for slaves. Let each member of the 

 family be allowed some little province of thought, work, or 

 study, which is not to be too much enquired into or sym- 

 pathised with or encouraged by the rest, and let the limits 

 of this be enlarged till he has a wide, free field of inde- 

 pendent action, which increases the resources of the family 

 so much the more as it is peculiarly his own. 



I see daily more and more reason to believe that the 

 study of the "dark sciences" is one which will repay 

 investigation. I think that what is called the proneness to 

 superstition in the present day is much more significant 

 than some make it. The prevalence of a misdirected 

 tendency proves the misdirection of a prevalent tendency. 

 It is the nature and object of this tendency that calls for 

 examination. 



To LEWIS CAMPBELL, Esq. 



Glenlair, 15th September 1853. 



I see that Principal Jelf is going to " have up " Maurice 

 for heresy published in his Theological Essays. The conse- 

 quence will probably be that some others unconnected with 

 Maurice will be set upon, and will perhaps join with him 

 in self-defence, or at least be associated with him in 

 popular opinion. 



If the row becomes general it will be the controversy of 

 the day. They have no firm and dogmatic statements to 

 grapple with, but they will soon make them. All the 

 ordinary disputes have been revivals of the letter of old 

 contests. Here we have the very spirit of all reformations ; 

 an attempt must be made to find what is requisite to 

 a Christian system, and whether the " variables " of such 

 a system ought to remain constant, as they were at some 

 arbitrary epoch (that of sect -founders, Fathers, General 

 Councils, Keformers, etc.), and not rather to be trusted to 

 the true and approved Christians of every age. 



