“All my correspondents have been writing to me, which is kind, and have not been writing questions, which is kinder. So I answer you now, while I am slacking speed to get up steam, leaving Lewis and Stewart, etc., till next week, when I will give an account of the five days. There are a good many up here at present, and we get on very jolly on the whole; but some are not well, and some are going to be plucked or gulphed, as the case may be, and others are reading so hard that they are invisible. I go to-morrow to breakfast with shaky men, and after food I am to go and hear the list read out, and whether they are through, and bring them word. When the honour list comes out the poll men act as messengers. Bob Campbell comes in occasionally of an evening now, to discuss matters and vary sports. During examination I have had men at night working with gutta-percha, magnets, etc. It is much better than reading novels or talking after 5½ hours’ hard writing.”
His father, on hearing the news, wrote from Edinburgh:—
“I heartily congratulate you on your place in the list. I suppose it is higher than the speculators would have guessed, and quite as high as Hopkins reckoned on. I wish you success in the Smith’s Prizes; be sure to write me the result. I will see Mrs. Morrieson, and I think I will call on Dr. Gloag to congratulate him. He has at least three pupils gaining honours.”
His friends in Edinburgh were greatly pleased. “I get congratulations on all hands,” his father writes,[18] “including Professor Kelland and Sandy Fraser and all others competent.... To-night or on Monday I shall expect to hear of the Smith’s Prizes.” And again, February 6th, 1854:—“George Wedderburn came into my room at 2 a.m. yesterday morning, having seen the Saturday Times, received by the express train.... As you are equal to the Senior in the champion trial, you are very little behind him.”
Or again, March 5th, 1854:—
“Aunt Jane stirred me up to sit for my picture, as she said you wished for it and were entitled to ask for it qua Wrangler. I have had four sittings to Sir John Watson Gordon, and it is now far advanced; I think it is very like. It is kitcat size, to be a companion to Dyce’s picture of your mother and self, which Aunt Jane says she is to leave to you.”
And now the long years of preparation were nearly over. The cunning craftsman was fitted with his tools; he could set to work to unlock the secrets of Nature; he was free to employ his genius and his knowledge on those tasks for which he felt most fitted.
CHAPTER III.
EARLY RESEARCHES.—PROFESSOR AT ABERDEEN.
From this time on Maxwell’s life becomes a record of his writings and discoveries. It will, however, probably be clearest to separate as far as possible biographical details from a detailed account of his scientific work, leaving this for consecutive treatment in later chapters, and only alluding to it so far as may prove necessary to explain references in his letters.