270 JAMES CLERK MAXWELL. [CHAP. IX. 



so many years' service as seniors. As for the men of the 

 world, we should have a limited term of existence, and that 

 independent of marriage or " parsonage." 



I saw a paragraph about the Female' Artists Exhibition, 

 and that Mrs. Hugh Blackburn had her Phaethon there. . . . 

 She has done a very small picture of a haystack making, 

 somewhat pre-Eaphaelite in pose, but graceful withal, and 

 such that the Moidart natives know every lass on the stack, 

 whether seen behind or before. It was at the Edinburgh 

 Academy of Painters. 



I have done a screed of introduction to optics, and am 

 at a sort of general summary of mechanical principles 

 doctrines relating to absolute and relative motion, analysis 

 of the doctrine of Force into the smallest number of inde- 

 pendent truths, theory of angular momentum and couples of 

 work done, and vis viva, of actual and potential energy, with 

 continual jaw on the doctrine of measurement by units all 

 through. 



To KEV. LEWIS CAMPBELL. 



Glenlair, 7th August 1857. 



I got your letter yesterday. I have oftener corresponded 

 with people I expected to see than with those I had just 

 left, so you must excuse my being rather more glad of 

 it than if I had expected it. So you were better than I 

 took you for; put that in the Logic -mill and grind it by 

 " Conversion of Props." Since you left I have been stir- 

 ring up old correspondents. Poor W is "himself again," 



with not many to care about him. He could not keep the 



A youths in order, and tried to get his authority backed 



by the big authorities. Then I suppose ensued a struggle 

 between bodily weakness and hesitation, and mental stern- 

 ness, stubbornness, and conscientiousness. The result prob- 

 ably was something severe in substance and mild in manner, 

 or otherwise open to scorn from the youths. I don't 

 know, but he has resigned his place. The youths then 

 proceeded to express their penitence, and the authorities their 

 regret. But he is now taking private pupils for that seat of 

 . . . learning, with not more friends and friendliness than 



