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
is a public recognition of benefits, political, literary, or
philosophical, whose effects will be great and durable. Now I doubt
whether it can be stated that Mr Spottiswoode had conferred such
benefits on Society. "But he adds at length his cordial recognition of
Mr Spottiswoode's scientific services.--Throughout his life Airy was a
regular attendant at church, and took much interest in the conduct of
the Church services. In October of this year he wrote a long letter
to the Vicar of Greenwich on various points, in which occurs the
following paragraph: "But there is one matter in the present form of
the Church Service, on which my feeling is very strong, namely the
(so-called, I believe) Choral Service, in the Confession, the Prayer,
and the Creed. I have long listened with veneration to our noble
Liturgy, and I have always been struck with the deep personally
religious feeling which pervades it, especially those parts of it
which are for 'The People.' And an earnest Priest, earnestly pressing
these parts by his vocal example on the notice of the People, can
scarcely fail to excite a corresponding earnestness in them. All this
is totally lost in the choral system. For a venerable persuasion there
is substituted a rude irreverential confusion of voices; for an
earnest acceptance of the form offered by the Priest there is
substituted--in my feeling at least--a weary waiting for the end of an
unmeaning form." He also objected much to singing the responses to the
Commandments.
1884
From Apr. 29th to May 30th he was at Playford, concluding his Journal
there with the note "So ends a pleasant Vacation."--On June 11th he
went to Cambridge and attended the Trinity College Commemoration
Service, and dined in Hall.--From Aug. 14th to Sept. 11th he was at
Playford.--On Sept. 26th he made an expedition to Guildford and
Farnham.--During this year he was closely engaged on the Numerical
Lunar Theory, and for relaxation was reading theology and sundry books
of the Old Testament.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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