Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 17.djvu/129

Rh statics, and contributed in 1869 a paper on the subject, under the title "On Reciprocal Figures, Forms, and Diagrams of Forces," to the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Besides his numerous articles giving the results of investigations, a few only of which are above mentioned, he contributed to the "Encyclopædia Britannica" the articles "Atom," "Attraction," "Capillary Action," "Constitution of Bodies," "Diagrams," "Diffusion," "Ether," "Faraday," and "Harmonic Analysis." Of the works published by Professor Maxwell, that on "Electricity and Magnetism" is his most important, giving the results of his laborious life in this department of physics. Besides this, a work on "The Theory of Heat," and a small text-book on "Matter and Motion" have been published by him. To these must be added his recently published volume on the "Electrical Researches of the Hon. Henry Cavendish," which he has enriched with copious and valuable notes.

Of his more important pieces of experimental work, that connected with the determination of the British Association Unit of Electric Resistance and his verification of Ohm's law made by him at the Cavendish Laboratory, should be here mentioned.

Professor Maxwell was Fellow of the Royal Societies of Edinburgh and London, and of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, and a voluminous contributor to their "Transactions." In 1872 he was elected Honorary Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, and in the same year was created honorary LL. D. of Edinburgh, while in 1876 he received the honorary degree of D. C. L. at Oxford. He was appointed honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, of Boston, in 1874; member of the American Philosophical Society of Philadelphia, 1875; and honorary member of the New York Academy of Sciences in 1876. He was also correspondent in the mathematical class to the Imperial Academy of Sciences, Göttingen; corresponding member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, Vienna; and associate of the Amsterdam Royal Academy of Sciences.

Professor Maxwell did not confine himself to scientific research and exposition, but occasionally appeared in the field of literature with poetic effusions of a satirical character on scientific subjects.

Professor Tait, in his review in "Nature" of Professor Maxwell's work, hopes "that these scattered gems may be collected and published, for they are of the very highest interest, as the work during leisure hours of one of the most piercing intellects of modern times. Every one of them contains evidence of close and accurate thought, and many are in the happiest form of epigram." Two samples of this poetic work are given by Professor Tait, one of which we append: