Maxwell Marathon Part One

Who said this? “Look through nature for Nature’s God.”

Mrs John Clerk Maxwell (neé Frances Cay) and her Son James. Birmingham Museums Trust Portrait paintings by William Dyce

The mother of James Maxwell instilled in him a great reverence towards God, since his early childhood. She also taught him Psalm 119, which he was able to repeat at the age of eight years old.

This precocious boy would later earn the title “Father of Modern Physics,” for his work on the electromagnetic theory. His scientific career, included many other accomplishments in mathematics, thermodynamics, optics and astronomy. At the same time, he was very well versed in literature and moral philosophy.

The person of James Maxwell interested me fifteen years ago, when I began teaching lessons about light, later published in Lightlab (Lightlabetc.com). Throughout the years, I have accumulated a long list of resources about him, and I finally dug through them as I wrote a module on Light for Christian Service Brigade.

In the Maxwell marathon blogs, you will not only learn about his scientific contributions, but you will also meet the full person through stories about his character and many interesting pursuits. No blog will be complete without the inclusion of an activity for you and family, to learn from and enjoy.

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His Birthplace

James Maxwell was born in 1831 at 14 India Street, Edinburgh, Scotland. When my son Marcus had a chance to travel there in 2023, I urged him to visit Maxwell’s birthplace which is now a museum.

Marcus in at 14 India St, Edinburgh, Scotland. A close up look of the two signs on the wall are shown below.

His Youthful Years

His parents were John Maxwell and Frances Cay. He inherited from them intelligence, kindness to living beings, and devotion to his Christian faith.

Soon after his birth, the family moved to their large country side estate in Glenlair where James benefitted from the great outdoors. This location became Maxwell’s favorite throughout his lifetime. One can imagine young James roaming over these vast hills to explore its smallest details. A running river also provided many happy hours of playtime and wild exploration.

The Glenlair Estate as it is preserved today. Photo is a snap shot from a video by www.glenlair.org.uk. Click on the photo to watch the 6min video.

James Maxwell was a very inquisitive boy and he wanted to know the particulars about everything that moved whether natural like flowing rivers, or man-made like door bells. He often involved all those living with him in his pursuits for answers to his endless questions.

The farm on their property was another favorite, as he loved animals. He was so gentle with them that he could even place a frog on his tongue just to watch it jump. His playmate Toby, a Terrier was always learning a new trick or repeating old ones.

Rainy days were spent reading books from the extensive library of his family, and drawing curious patterns with harmonious hues. The zoetrope  was a popular toy during his childhood, and he delighted in creating moving sceneries with his cousin Jemima. This instrument became a lifelong fascination for him, and he ended up improving it in 1861 by adding lenses in place of the slits.

Fun Activity

Another version of the zoetrope is the phenakistoscope. Click to learn how you can make your own.

Life at Glenlair soon took a different turn when his mother tragically died from abdominal cancer. He was only eight and was deeply affected by her loss. He was however fortunate to have nurturing aunts who assisted his father in raising him. The first thing they did was to fire the tutor who was too rigid and unfit for such a gifted child. They later offered to house James during his years at Edinburgh Academy, substituting as best as they could for an irreplaceable mother.

No wonder Glenlair remained James Maxwell’s favorite home, where he visited during holidays and spent the last years of his life. It was the place of his happiest moments when he explored nature looking for its Creator, as his mother taught him.

As you read more about him, you will find out that his mother’s influence didn’t fade. The echoes of her voice might have reverberated the following scripture:

Proverbs 31:2 “What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of my womb? What are you doing, son of my vows?

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY TO ALL.

REMEMBER TO THANK YOUR MOTHER

OR ANY OTHER WOMAN WHO LOVED

YOU AND POINTED YOU TO GOD.