Autobiography of Sir George Biddell AiryAiry, George Biddell
Science
Autobiography of Sir George Biddell Airy
Airy, George Biddell
Airy, George Biddell, 1801-1892; Astronomers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Autobiographies; Royal Greenwich Observatory
In a paper hastily sent to the Athenaeum
(Feb. 18th) I said that Arago's conduct had been indelicate. I
perceived instantly that I had used a wrong expression, and by the
very next post I sent an altered expression. This altered expression
was not received in time, and the original expression was printed, to
my great sorrow. I could not then apologize. But at what appeared to
be the first opportunity, in December, I did apologize; and my apology
was accepted. But I think that Arago was never again so cordial as
before.--On July 4th Hebe was discovered. After this Iris and
Flora. Now commenced that train of discoveries which has added more
than 100 planets to the Solar System.--On Oct. 8th was an Annular
Eclipse of the Sun, of which the limit of annularity passed near to
Greenwich. To determine the exact place, I equipped observatories at
Hayes, Lewisham South End, Lewisham Village, Blackwall, Stratford,
Walthamstow, and Chingford. The weather was bad and no observation was
obtained.--In the Royal Astronomical Society: In 1846, the dispute
between the partisans of Adams and Le Verrier was so violent that no
medal could be awarded to either. In 1847 I (with other Fellows of the
Society) promoted a special Meeting for considering such a
modification of the bye-laws that for this occasion only it might be
permissible to give two medals. After two days' stormy discussion, it
was rejected.--In the University of London: At a meeting in July,
where the religious question was discussed, it was proposed to receive
some testimonial from affiliated bodies, or to consider that or some
other plan for introducing religious literature. As the propriety of
this was doubtful, there was a general feeling for taking legal
advice: and it was set aside solely on purpose to raise the question
about legal consultation. _That_ was negatived by vote: and I then
claimed the consideration of the question which we had put aside for
it. By the influence of H. Warburton, M.P., this was denied. I wrote a
letter to be laid before the Meeting on July 28th, when I was
necessarily absent, urging my claim: my letter was put aside. I
determined never to sit with Warburton again: on Aug. 2nd I intimated
to Lord Burlington my wish to retire, and on Aug. 29th he transmitted
to the Home Secretary my resignation. He (Lord Burlington) fully
expressed his opinion that my claim ought to have been allowed.--On
June 9th, on the occasion of Prince Albert's state visit to Cambridge,
knighthood was offered to me through his Secretary, Prof. Sedgwick,
but I declined it.--In September, the Russian Order of St Stanislas
was offered to me, Mr De Berg, the Secretary of Embassy, coming to
Greenwich personally to announce it: but I was compelled by our
Government Rules to decline it.--I invited Le Verrier to England, and
escorted him to the Meeting of the British Association at Oxford in
June.--As regards the Westminster Clock on the Parliamentary Building:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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