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 the October term 1819, I went up to the University. The works of
Wood and Vince, which I have mentioned, still occupied the
lecture-rooms. But a great change was in preparation for the
University Course of Mathematics. During the great Continental war,
the intercourse between men of science in England and in France had
been most insignificant. But in the autumn of 1819, three members of
the Senate (John Herschel, George Peacock, and Charles Babbage) had
entered into the mathematical society of Paris, and brought away some
of the works on Pure Mathematics (especially those of Lacroix) and on
Mechanics (principally Poisson's). In 1820 they made a translation of
Lacroix's Differential Calculus; and they prepared a volume of
Examples of the Differential and Integral Calculus. These were
extensively studied: but the form of the College Examinations or the
University Examinations was not, I think, influenced by them in the
winter 1820-1821 or the two following terms. But in the winter
1821-1822 Peacock was one of the Moderators; and in the Senate-House
Examination, January 1822, he boldly proposed a Paper of important
questions entirely in the Differential Calculus. This was considered
as establishing the new system in the University. In January 1823, I
think the two systems were mingled. Though I was myself subject to
that examination, I grieve to say that I have forgotten much of the
details, except that I well remember that some of the questions
referred to Newton, Book III. on the Lunar Theory. To these I have
already alluded.
No other work occurs to me as worthy of mention, except Woodhouse's
Lunar Theory, entirely founded on the Differential Calculus. The style
of this book was not attractive, and it was very little read.
CHAPTER III.
AT TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, FROM HIS TAKING
HIS B.A. DEGREE TO HIS TAKING CHARGE OF THE
CAMBRIDGE OBSERVATORY AS PLUMIAN PROFESSOR.
FROM JANUARY 18TH, 1823, TO MARCH 15TH, 1828.
"On Jan. 30th, 1823, I returned to Cambridge. I had already heard that
I had gained the 1st Smith's Prize, and one of the first notifications
to me on my return was that the Walker's good-conduct prize of _£10_
was awarded to me.
"I remember that my return was not very pleasant, for our table in
hall was half occupied by a set of irregular men who had lost terms
and were obliged to reside somewhat longer in order to receive the
B.A. degree. But at the time of my completing the B.A. degree (which
is not till some weeks after the examination and admission) I with the
other complete bachelors was duly invited to the table of the B.A.
scholars, and that annoyance ended.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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