CHAP. XL] KING'S COLLEGE, LONDON. 319 



One pleasant incident of his stay in London was 

 the improvement of his acquaintance with Faraday, 

 with whom he seems to have dined on the occasion of 

 his lecture before the Royal Institution in 1861. 



On one occasion he was wedged in a crowd at- 

 tempting to escape from the lecture theatre of the 

 Royal Institution, when he was perceived by Faraday, 

 who, alluding to Maxwell's work among the molecules, 

 accosted him in this wise " Ho, Maxwell, cannot 

 you get out ? If any man can find his way through 

 a crowd it should be you." 



He also renewed his personal intercourse with 

 Litchfield, Droop, and other Cambridge friends. 



His habit at this time was to do his scientific 

 work chiefly in the mornings, unless when entertaining 

 friends, when he would give up his days to them and 

 take hours for work out of the night. In the afternoons 

 he would ride with Mrs. Maxwell. She had been 

 recommended horse exercise in 1860, when the pony 

 " Charlie," called after Charles Hope Cay, was bought 

 at the Rood fair. He was a high-bred, spirited, light 

 bay Galloway, with arched neck and flowing tail. 

 Maxwell himself broke him in, riding side-saddle, 

 with a piece of carpet to take the place of a habit. 

 This pony was a great favourite until the end in 1879. 



About this time (between 1860 and 1865) the 

 endowment of Corsock Church was completed, and the 

 Manse built. Maxwell gave largely to both objects, 

 which were promoted mainly by his zeal and energy. 



At the beginning and at the close of the King's 

 College period Maxwell suffered from two severe 



