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
"May 9th is the date of my Preface to the 1829 Observations: all was
then printed. Apparently I did not go to the Visitation of the
Greenwich Observatory this year.--I was at this time pressing Tulley,
the optician, about an object-glass for the Mural Circle.--A new
edition of my 'Tracts' was wanted, and I prepared to add a Tract on
the Undulatory Theory of Light in its utmost extent. The Syndicate of
the University Press intimated through Dr Turton that they could not
assist me (regarding the book as a second edition). On July 10th I
have some negociation about it with Deighton the bookseller.--On May
18th I have a note from Whewell about a number of crystals of
plagiedral quartz, in which he was to observe the crystalline
indication, and I the optical phenomena.--The Report of the Syndicate
for visiting the Observatory is dated June 18th: it is highly
laudatory.--The Proctor (Barnard of King's College) requested me to
name the Moderator for the next B.A. Examination: I named Mr Challis.
"On June 14th my wife and I went, in company with Professor and Mrs
Henslow, to London and Oxford; at Oxford we were received in
Christchurch College by Dr and Mrs Buckland. My wife and I then went
to Bedford to visit Capt. and Mrs Smyth, and returned to Cambridge on
the 23rd. On July 5th we went on a visit to my mother and uncle at
Playford. While there I took a drive with my uncle into some parts
near the valley of the Gipping, in which I thought that the extent of
the chalk was inadequately exhibited on Greenough's map, and
communicated my remarks to Buckland.
"I find letters from Dr Robinson and Col. Colby about determining
longitudes of certain observatories by fire signals: I proposed
chronometers as preferable. Also from Herschel, approving of my second
volume of observations: and from F. Baily, disclaiming the origination
of the attack on the old Nautical Almanac (with which I suppose I had
reproached him). On July 30th I received a summons from South to a
committee for improving the Nautical Almanac; and subsequently a
letter from Baily about Schumacher's taking offence at a passage of
mine in the Cambridge Observations, on the comparative merits of
Ephemerides, which I afterwards explained to his satisfaction.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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