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
From May 2nd to 29th he was at Playford. From July 10th to 20th he was
travelling in South Wales with his daughters.--From Oct. 10th to
Nov. 10th he was at Playford.--Between Nov. 20th of this year and
Jan. 4th of the year 1884, he sat several times to Mr John Collier for
his portrait: the picture was exhibited in the Academy of 1884; it is
a most successful and excellent likeness.
Throughout the year he was very busy with the Numerical Lunar
Theory.--In March he was officially asked to accept the office of
Visitor of the Royal Observatory, which he accepted, and in this
capacity attended at the Annual Visitation on June 2nd, and addressed
a Memorandum to the Visitors on the progress of his Lunar Theory.--On
March 12th he published in several newspapers a statement in
opposition to the proposed Braithwaite and Buttermere Railway, which
he considered would be injurious to the Lake District, in which he
took so deep an interest.--In May he communicated to "The Observatory"
a statement of his objections to a Theory advanced by Mr Stone (then
President of the Royal Astronomical Society) to account for the
recognized inequality in the Mean Motion of the Moon. This Theory, on
a subject to which Airy had given his incessant attention for so many
years, would naturally receive his careful attention and criticism,
and it attracted much general notice at the time.--In December he
wrote to the Secretary of the Royal Astronomical Society his opinion
as to the award of the Medal of the Society. In this letter he stated
the principles which guided him as follows: "I have always maintained
that the award of the Medal ought to be guided mainly by the
originality of communications: that one advance in a new direction
ought in our decision to outweigh any mass of work in a routine
already established: and that, in any case, scientific utility as
distinguished from mere elegance is indispensable."--In July
Lieut. Pinheiro of the Brazilian Navy called with an autograph letter
of introduction from the Emperor of Brazil. The Lieutenant desired to
make himself acquainted with the English system of Lighthouses and
Meteorology, and Airy took much trouble in providing him with
introductions through which he received every facility for the
thorough accomplishment of his object.--On Oct. 8th he forwarded to
Prof. Cayley proofs of Euclid's Propositions I. 47 and III. 35 with
the following remarks: "I place on the other side the propositions
which may be substituted (with knowledge of Euclid's VI. book) for the
two celebrated propositions of the geometrical books. They leave on my
mind no doubt whatever that they were invented as proofs by ratios,
and that they were then violently expanded into cumbrous geometrical
proofs."--On June 28th he declined to sign a memorial asking for the
interment of Mr Spottiswoode in Westminster Abbey, stating as his
reason, "I take it, that interment possessing such a public character
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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