Meanwhile he had resigned his London Professorship at the end of the Session of 1865, and had been succeeded by Professor W. G. Adams.
For the next four years he lived chiefly at Glenlair, working at his theory of electricity, occasionally, as we shall see, visiting London and Cambridge, and taking an active interest in the affairs of his own neighbourhood. In 1865 he had a serious illness, through which he was nursed with great care by Mrs. Maxwell. His correspondence was considerable, and absorbed much of his time. Much also was given to the study of English literature; he was fond of reading Chaucer, Milton, or Shakespeare aloud to Mrs. Maxwell.
He also read much theological and philosophical literature, and all he read helped only to strengthen that firm faith in the fundamentals of Christianity in which he lived and died.
In 1867 he and Mrs. Maxwell paid a visit to Italy, which was a source of great pleasure to both.
His chief scientific work was the preparation of his “Electricity and Magnetism,” which did not appear till 1873; the time was in the main one of quiet thought and preparation for his next great task, the foundation of the School of Physics in Cambridge.
In 1868 the principalship of the United College in the University of St. Andrews was vacant by the resignation of Forbes, and Maxwell was invited by several of the professors to stand. He, however, declined to submit his name to the Crown.
CHAPTER V.
CAMBRIDGE.—PROFESSOR OF PHYSICS.
During his retirement at Glenlair from 1865 to 1870 Maxwell was frequently at Cambridge. He examined in the Mathematical Tripos in 1866 and 1867, and again in 1869 and 1870.
The regulations for the Tripos had been in force practically unchanged since 1848, and it was felt by many that the range of subjects included was not sufficiently extensive, and that changes were urgently needed if Cambridge were to retain its position as the centre of mathematical teaching. Natural Philosophy was mentioned in the Schedule, but Natural Philosophy included only Dynamics and Astronomy, Hydrostatics and Physical Optics, with some simple Hydrodynamics and Sound.