392 JAMES CLERK MAXWELL. [CHAP. XII. 



Two Aberdonians, Chrystal and Mollison, are working at 

 the Cavendish Laboratory. I think Chrystal's work is of a 

 kind not comparable with that done in "a third-class German 

 university," which was the charitable hope of Nature as 

 to what we might aspire to in ten years' time. He has 

 worked steadily at the testing of Ohm's Law since October, 

 and Ohm has come out triumphant, though in some experi- 

 ments the wire was kept bright red-hot by the current. 

 Your afft. friend. 



FROM THE EIGHT EEV. C. J. ELLICOTT, D.I)., Lord Bishop 

 of Gloucester and Bristol. 



Palace, Gloucester, 21st Nov. 1876. 



MY DEAR SIR Will you kindly pardon a great liberty ? 

 I have quoted in a forthcoming charge a remarkable expres- 

 sion of yours that atoms are "manufactured articles." 

 Could you in your kindness give me the proper title and 

 reference to the paper and the page ? I am now, alas, far 

 from libraries, and have, in matters scientific especially, to 

 ask the aid of others. Will you excuse me asking this 

 further question ? 



Are you, as a scientific man, able to accept the statement 

 that is often made on the theological side, viz. that the 

 creation of the sun posterior to light involves no serious 

 difficulty, the creation of light being the establishment of 

 the primal vibrations, generally ; the creation of the sun, 

 the primal formation of an origin, whence vibrations would 

 be propagated earthward ? 



My own mind, far from a scientific one, is not clear 

 on this point. I surmise, then, that the scientific mind might 

 not only not be clear as to the explanation, but equitably 

 bound to say that it was no explanation at all. Excuse 

 the trouble I am giving you, for the truth's sake, and believe 

 me, very faithfully yours, 



C. J. GLOUCESTER AND BRISTOL. 



Maxwell replied as follows by return of post : 



