208 JAMES CLERK MAXWELL. [CHAP. VII. 



but I was disappointed to find that he had at last fallen 

 into the snare of his own paradoxes, and thought that his 

 discoveries with regard to the senses and their objects would 

 show some fallacy in those branches of high mathematics 

 which he disliked. It is curious to see how speculators are 

 led by their neglect of exact sciences to put themselves in 

 opposition to them where they have not the slightest point 

 of contact with their systems. In the Minute Philosopher 

 there is some very bad Political Economy and much very 

 good thinking on more interesting subjects. Paradox is 

 still sought for and exaggerated. We live in an age of 

 wonder still. 



To Miss CAY. 



Trin. Coll., Whitsun. Eve, 1854. 



I am in great luxury here, having but 2 pups., and able to 

 read the rest of the day, so I have made a big hole in some 

 subjects I wish to know. We have hot weather now, and I 

 am just come from a meeting of subscribers to the Bathing 

 Shed, which we organised into a Swimming Club so as to 

 make it a more sociable affair, instead of mere " pay your 

 money and use your key." 



A nightingale has taken up his quarters just outside my 

 window, and works away every night. He is at it very 

 fierce now. At night the owls relieve him, softly sighing 

 after their fashion. 



I have made an instrument for seeing into the eye 

 through the pupil. The difficulty is to throw the light in 

 at that small hole and look in at the same time ; but that 

 difficulty is overcome, and I can see a large part of the back 

 of the eye quite distinctly with the image of the candle on it. 

 People find no inconvenience in being examined, and I have 

 got dogs to sit quite still and keep their eyes steady. Dogs' 

 eyes are very beautiful behind, a copper-coloured ground, 

 with glorious bright patches and networks of blue, yellow, 

 and green, with blood-vessels great and small. 



Trin. Coll, 24th Novr. J54. 

 I have been very busy of late with various things, and 



