of Edinburgh , Session 1879-80. 
333 
with physical and chemical apparatus, and devouring all sorts of 
scientific works in the library.* During this period he wrote two 
valuable papers, which are published in our “ Transactions,” on 
“ The Theory of Polling Curves,” and “ On the Equilibrium 
of Elastic Solids.” Thus he brought to Cambridge in the autumn 
of 1850 a mass of knowledge which was really immense for so 
young a man, but in a state of disorder appalling to his methodical 
private tutor. Though that tutor was William Hopkins, the pupil 
to a great extent took his own way ; and it may safely be said 
that no high wrangler of recent years ever entered the Senate- 
House more imperfectly trained to produce “paying” work than 
did Clerk-Maxwell. But by sheer strength of intellect, though 
with the very minimum of knowledge how to use it to advantage 
under the conditions of the examination, he obtained the position 
of Second Wrangler, and was bracketed equal with the Senior 
Wrangler in the higher ordeal of the Smith’s Prizes. His name 
appears in the Cambridge “ Calendar ” as Maxwell of Trinity, but he 
was originally entered at Peter-House, and kept his first term there, 
in that small but most ancient foundation which has of late furnished 
Scotland with the majority of the Professors of Mathematics and 
Natural Philosophy in her four universities. 
In 1856 he became Professor of Natural Philosophy in Marischal 
College, Aberdeen; in 1860, Professor of Physics and Astronomy in 
King’s College, London. He was successively Scholar and Eellow of 
Trinity ; and was elected an Honorary Eellow of Trinity when he 
finally became, in 1871, Professor of Experimental Physics in the 
University of Cambridge. There can be no doubt that the post to 
which he was ultimately called was one for which he was in every 
way pre-eminently qualified ; and the Cavendish Laboratory, erected 
and furnished under his supervision, remains as remarkable a monu- 
ment to his wide-ranging practical knowledge and theoretical skill as 
it is to the well-directed munificence of its noble founder. 
If the title of mathematician be restricted (as it too commonly is) 
* From the University Library lists for this period it appears that Maxwell 
perused at home Fourier’s Theorie de la Chaleur, Monge’s Gtometrie Descrip- 
tive, Newton’s Optics, Willis’s Principles of Mechanism, Cauchy’s Calcul 
Differ entiel, Taylor’s Scientific Memoirs , and many other works of a high 
order. Unfortunately no record is kept of hooks consulted in the reading- 
room. 
