1 845.] THE CAMBRIDGE MEETING, 



75 



different colleges. He quite appreciated the privileges from 

 which he had been excluded as a Dissenter ; yet his heart told 

 him that his present position was better for him. He was glad 

 to hear his brother's paper and the discussion upon it, and 

 also to have " a good bout at chemistry/' which he was teaching 

 some of his pupils. Among the attractions of that meeting 

 were Professor Boutigny's experiments, to show why liquids do 

 not touch substances heated to a certain point, and therefore 

 do not evaporate. He made a crucible red-hot, and poured 

 into it some liquid sulphurous acid ; into this he immersed a 

 phial of water, which was instantly hard frozen; he "took 

 out the ice, and held it up in his hand some minutes before 

 it was all melted. ... I wonder whether some persons who 

 will not believe miracles, on the very best testimony, would 

 believe that water could be frozen in red-hot vessels, on my 

 word." A paper by Sir R. I. Murchison on the geology of 

 Russia called forth a very eloquent speech from Dean (Bishop) 

 Wilberforce, who showed how weak was the faith of a man 

 who dared not follow truth, lest truth should make him deny 

 his religion : this is the faith which opposed Copernicus and 

 persecuted Galileo. " My fixed belief," said Dr. Wilberforce, 

 "is that Christianity is the nursing mother of all true philosophy, 

 because man, unenlightened by revelation, would never dare 

 to look Nature in the face, and compel her to disclose her 

 secrets." He also dwelt on the peaceful tendencies of science : 

 Murchison, an old soldier, had been exploring Russia to learn 

 its natural gifts, and common ties were strengthened by these 

 meetings. Sedgwick, who followed him, prolonged this strain, 

 and declared war to be the greatest calamity. 



Philip made acquaintance with the most celebrated college 

 chapels, and copied some of the chants that most pleased him. 

 On the Sunday he attended the services at Trinity and King's 

 before breakfast ; then heard an excellent sermon at the Baptist 

 Chapel; dined on a twist (the cost of his dinners averaged 

 less than sixpence ! ), and went again to King's College Chapel 

 — " the grand afternoon service, which might be called a reli- 

 gious soiree. . . . The choir was filled immediately, and the rest 



