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
"There were vacant this year (1823) five fellowships in Trinity
College. In general, the B.A.'s of the first year are not allowed to
sit for fellowships: but this year it was thought so probable that
permission would be given, that on Sept. 2nd Mr Higman, then appointed
as Tutor to a third 'side' of the College, wrote to me to engage me as
Assistant Mathematical Tutor in the event of my being elected a Fellow
on Oct. 1st, and I provisionally engaged myself. About the same time
I had written to Mr Peacock, who recommended me to sit, and to Mr
Whewell, who after consultation with the Master (Dr Wordsworth),
discouraged it. As there was no absolute prohibition, I left Swansea
on Sept. 11th (before my engagement to my pupils was quite finished)
and returned to Cambridge by Gloucester, Oxford, and London. I gave in
my name at the butteries as candidate for fellowship, but was informed
in a day or two that I should not be allowed to sit. On Sept. 19th I
walked to Bury.
"I walked back to Cambridge on Oct. 17th, 1823. During this October
term I had four pupils: Neate, Cankrein, Turner (afterwards 2nd
wrangler and Treasurer of Guy's Hospital), and William Hervey (son of
the Marquis of Bristol). In the Lent term I had four (Neate, Cankrein,
Turner, Clinton). In the Easter term I had three (Neate, Cankrein,
Turner).
"My daily writing of Latin commenced on Oct. 27th. In November I began
re-reading Sophocles with my usual care. In mathematics I find
investigations of Motion in a resisting medium, Form of Saturn, Draft
of a Paper about an instrument for exhibiting the fundamental law of
refraction (read at the Philosophical Society by Mr Peacock on
Nov. 10th, 1823), Optics, Solid Geometry, Figure of the Earth with
variable density, and much about attractions. I also in this term
wrote a MS. on the Calculus of Variations, and one on Wood's Algebra,
2nd and 4th parts. I have also notes of the temperature of mines in
Cornwall, something on the light of oil-gas, and reminiscences of
Swansea in a view of Oswick Bay. In November I attended Professor
Sedgwick's geological lectures.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account