MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY. 281 



Society. Our second son, George Campbell, had gained 1863. 

 the highest prizes for Mathematics and [Natural Philosophy 

 in University College, though his father's scruples were 

 strong as to adjudging the first prize in his own class to 

 his own son. My husband told me that the papers, which 

 he knew to be George's, were much ahead of the other 

 competitors. ( But,' he said, ' I don't see how I can give 

 him my prize.' I reminded him that the sons of other 

 Professors had frequently taken their fathers' prizes, and 

 that justice to George required it. He said that was 

 true, and he would show the papers to another Professor, 

 who was enough of a Mathematician to judge. The 

 arbitrator, who did not know the writing, adjudged 

 the prize to our son, as his father had done, without 

 the slightest hesitation. George afterwards took his 

 degree in the University of London, and obtained the 

 gold medal for Mathematics and Natural Philosophy. 

 He likewise took the Andrews Scholarship in Uni- 

 versity College, but the work required, especially that 

 for his degree, was too much for a delicate frame, and 

 a severe cold caught about this time was the forerunner 

 of his last illness. The last three years of his life were 

 alternations of illness and partial recovery, though a winter 

 at the sea-side and a subsequent voyage to the West 

 Indies with his brother Edward gave him strength for a 

 time, and we hoped he might have outgrown his delicacy 

 of constitution ; but this was not to be. 



It was in the year 1864 that Mr. Arthur Cowper Origin of 

 Ranyard and George were discussing mathematical pro- 

 blems during a walk in the streets, when it struck them 

 that ] ' it would be very nice to have a Society to which 

 all discoveries in Mathematics could be brought, and 

 where things could be discussed, like the Astronomical.' 

 It was agreed between the young men that this should 

 be proposed, and that George should ask his father to 

 take the chair at the first meeting. I have a list in his 

 1 The words in which he told me of the occurrence. 



