Autobiography of Sir George Biddell Airy — John Shaqi
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
"Mr Clarkson was at one time inclined to recommend me to go to St
Peter's College (which had been much enriched by a bequest from a Mr
Gisborne). But on giving some account of me to his friend Mr James
D. Hustler, tutor of Trinity College, Mr Hustler urged upon him that I
was exactly the proper sort of person to go to Trinity College. And
thus it was settled (mainly by Mr Clarkson) that I should be entered
at Trinity College. I think that I was sent for purposely from
Colchester to Playford, and on March 6th, 1819, I rode in company with
Mr Clarkson from Playford to Sproughton near Ipswich to be examined by
the Rev. Mr Rogers, incumbent of Sproughton, an old M.A. of Trinity
College; and was examined, and my certificate duly sent to Mr Hustler;
and I was entered on Mr Hustler's side as Sizar of Trinity College.
"In the summer of 1819 I spent some time at Playford. On July 27th,
1819 (my birthday, 18 years old), Mr Clarkson invited me to dinner, to
meet Mr Charles Musgrave, Fellow of Trinity College, who was residing
for a short time at Grundisburgh, taking the church duty there for Dr
Ramsden, the Rector. It was arranged that I should go to Grundisburgh
the next day (I think) to be examined in mathematics by Mr Musgrave. I
went accordingly, and Mr Musgrave set before me a paper of questions
in geometry, algebra, mechanics, optics, &c. ending with the first
proposition of the Principia. I knew nothing more about my answers at
the time; but I found long after that they excited so much admiration
that they were transmitted to Cambridge (I forget whether to Mr
Musgrave's brother, a Fellow of Trinity College and afterwards
Archbishop of York, or to Mr Peacock, afterwards Dean of Ely) and were
long preserved.
"The list of the Classical subjects for the first year in Trinity
College was transmitted to me, as usual, by Mr Hustler. They were--The
Hippolytus of Euripides, the 3rd Book of Thucydides, and the 2nd
Philippic of Cicero. These I read carefully and noted before going
up. Mr Hustler's family lived in Bury; and I called on him and saw him
in October, introduced by Mr Clarkson. On the morning of October 18th,
1819, I went on the top of the coach to Cambridge, knowing nobody
there but Mr Hustler, but having letters of introduction from Mr
Charles Musgrave to Professor Sedgwick, Mr Thomas Musgrave, and Mr
George Peacock, all Fellows of Trinity College.
"I was set down at the Hoop, saw Trinity College for the first time,
found Mr Hustler, was conducted by his servant to the robe-maker's,
where I was invested in the cap and blue gown, and after some further
waiting was installed into lodgings in Bridge Street. At 4 o'clock I
went to the College Hall and was introduced by Mr Hustler to several
undergraduates, generally clever men, and in the evening I attended
Chapel in my surplice (it being St Luke's day) and witnessed that
splendid service of which the occasional exhibition well befits the
place.
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