AND MODERN PHYSICS. 17 



so much monotonous parsing. In the English Milton 

 is better than the History of Greece. . . ." 



P was the boys' nickname for the rector; 

 B for Mr. Carmichael, the second master. This* 

 is the account of Maxwell's first interview with the 

 rector : 



Hector : " What part of Galloway do you come 

 from?" 



J. C. J/. : " From the Vale of Urr. Ye spell it 

 o, err, err, or oo, err, err." 



The study of geometry was begun, and in the 

 mathematical master, Mr. Gloag, Maxwell found a 

 teacher with a real gift for his task. It was here 

 that Maxwell's vast superiority to many who were 

 his companions at once showed itself. " He seemed," 

 says Professor Campbell, "to be in the heart of the 

 subject when they were only at the boundary ; but the 

 boyish game of contesting point by point with such 

 a mind was a most wholesome stimulus, so that the 

 mere exercise of faculty was a pure joy. With 

 Maxwell the first Iqssons of geometry branched out 

 at once into inquiries which became fruitful." 



In July, 1X45, he writes : 



44 1 have got the llth prize for Scholarship, the 1st for 

 English, the prize for English verses*, and the Mathematical 

 Medal. I tried for Scripture knowledge, and Hamilton in the 

 7th has got it. We tried for the Medal on Thursday. I had 

 done them all, and got home at half-past two ; but Campbell 

 stayed till four. I was rather tired with writing exercises 

 from nine till half -past two. 



"Campbell ami I went 'once more unto the lj(r)each 



* Life of J. C. Maxwell," p. C7. 



