296 JAMES CLERK MAXWELL. [CHAP. X. 



an optician, and a carpenter. The tinsmith made the Transit 

 Circle. 



College Fusion is holding up its head again under the 

 fostering care of Dr. David Brown (father to Alexander 

 of Queen's). 1 Know all men I am a Fusionist, and thereby 

 an enemy of all the respectable citizens who are Unionists 

 (that is, unite the three learned faculties, and leave double 

 chairs in Arts). But there is no use writing out their 

 theory to you. They want inferior men for professors men 

 who will find it their interest to teach what will pay to 

 small classes, and who will be more under the influence of 

 parents and the local press than more learned or better paid 

 men would be in a larger college. 



I send you a description of the Murtle Lecture delivered 

 in our Public School : 



To those who admire the genius of the bard who sang of 

 The Dee, the Don, Balgownie Brigg's black wall, the following 

 lines will be welcome from their resemblance to the opening of 

 one of his poems : 



Know ye the Hall where the birch and the myrtle 

 Are emblems of things half profane, half divine, 



Where the hiss of the serpent, the coo of the turtle, 

 Are counted cheap fun at a sixpenny fine ? 



Know ye the Hall of the pulpit and form, 



With its air ever mouldy, its stove never warm ; 



Where the chill blasts of Eurus, oppressed with the stench, 



Wax faint at the window, and strong at the bench ; 



Where Tertian and Semi are hot in dispute, 



And the voice of the Magistrand never is mute ; 



Where the scrape of the foot and the audible sigh 



In nature though varied, in discord may vie, 



Till the accents of Wisdom are stifled and die ; 



Where the Bajuns are dense as the cookies they chew, 



And all save the Regents have something to do ; 



1 See a little book entitled " Crushed Hopes Crowned in Death," 

 London, 1862. 



