260 JAMES CLERK MAXWELL. [CHAP. IX. 



solitary intercourse with his father, who understood 

 his meaning from the slightest hint and rather en- 

 couraged the family trick of " calling things out of 

 their names," and the list of hindrances is sufficiently 

 formidable. But he was striving to overcome those 

 of which he knew, and even if he had never done 

 so completely, the weight of his character as well as 

 the profundity of his genius, and his unvarying kind- 

 liness, must have won their way. 



As marking his educational enthusiasm, it should 

 not be forgotten here that he continued at Aberdeen 

 the practice which he had commenced at Cambridge, 

 of lecturing to working men. This was entirely 

 voluntary, and for aught I know may have been 

 regarded as a piece of eccentricity. 



A trivial incident may be recorded as throwing 

 light on his relations to professors and students 

 severally. The professors had unlimited access to the 

 library, and were in the habit of sometimes taking out 

 a volume for the use of a friend. The students were 

 only allowed two volumes at a time. Maxwell took 

 out books for his students, and when checked for this 

 by his colleagues explained that the students were his 

 friends. 



Amongst the human phenomena surrounding him, 

 one which genuinely interested him was the religious 

 " revival " which took place about that time in Scot- 

 land. His intercourse with evangelical friends in 

 England had prepared him to sympathise with such 

 " experiences," and his Calvinistic reading had famili- 

 arised him with the language used. And he was less 



