Lord Kelvin's early home : being the recollections of his sister the late Mrs. Elizabeth King / together with some family letters and a supplementary chapter by the editor, Elizabeth Thomson King ; with illustrations from Mrs. King's own drawings and those of her daughters.

  • King, Elizabeth, 1818-1896.
Date:
1909
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Lord Kelvin's early home : being the recollections of his sister the late Mrs. Elizabeth King / together with some family letters and a supplementary chapter by the editor, Elizabeth Thomson King ; with illustrations from Mrs. King's own drawings and those of her daughters. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    did not go to school, but our father, as hitherto, took the general supervision of our lessons. William and James began Latin 'with him on the Hamiltonian system, and made rapid progress ; they also attended the Junior Mathematical class as listeners, without being examined or writing the exercises. In a letter to William dated May 7th, 1886, Mr. Wallace, an old student of our father’s, writes, “ It was in a very large class (1831-2) [Mr. Wallace should have said 1832-3] that, as a mere child, you startled the whole class, not one of whom could answer a certain question, by calling out, ‘ Do, papa, let me answer.’ The impression on my mind has never been effaced.” At the close of the first session a memorable event took place. We had our first drive in a railway carriage ! We went as a family- party—father, aunt, and the six children— from St. Rollox to Airdrie. We were greatly excited about the expedition ; and it certainly was interesting, though it could not be called agreeable. The travelling appointments were of the roughest ; the carriage, if worthy of