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PREFACE. 



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THE task of giving some account of Maxwell's work 

 of describing tho share that ho has taken in the 

 advance of Physical Science during the latter halt 

 of this nineteenth century has proved no light 

 labour. The problems which he attacked are of 

 such magnitude and complexity, that tho attempt 

 to explain them and their importance, satisfactorily, 

 without the aid of symbols, is almost foredoomed 

 to failure. However, tho attempt has been made, 

 in- tho belief that there are many who, though they 

 cannot follow the mathematical analysis of Maxwell's 

 work, have sufliciont general knowledge of physical 

 ideas and principles to make an account of Maxwell 

 and of the development of tho truths that he dis- 

 covered, subjects of intelligent interest 



Maxwell's life was written in 1882 by two of those 

 who were most intimately connected with him, Pro- 

 fessor Lewis Campbell and Dr. Garnett Many of the 

 biographical details of tho earlier part of this book 

 are taken from their work. My thanks are duo to 



