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
"The Lectures as begun in 1827 included ordinary Mechanics, ordinary
Hydrostatics and Pneumatics (I think that I did not touch, or touched
very lightly, on the subjects connected with the Hydraulic Ram), and
ordinary Optics (with a very few words on Polarization and
Depolarization). In 1828 the two first were generally improved, and
for the third (Optics) I introduced a few words on Circular
Polarization. I believe that it was in 1829 that I made an addition
to the Syllabus with a small engraving, shewing the interference of
light in the best practical experiment (that of the flat prism); and I
went thoroughly into the main points of the Undulatory Theory,
interference, diffraction, &c. In 1830 I believe I went (in addition
to what is mentioned above) into Polarization and Depolarization of
all kinds. My best lecture diagrams were drawn and painted by my
wife. The Lectures were universally pronounced to be valuable. The
subjects underwent no material change in 1831, 2, 3, 4, 5; and I
believe it was a matter of sincere regret to many persons that my
removal to Greenwich terminated the series. Each lecture nominally
occupied an hour. But I always encouraged students to stop and talk
with me; and this supplement was usually considered a valuable part of
the lecture. Practically the lecture, on most days, occupied two
hours. I enjoyed the Lectures much: yet I felt that the labour (in
addition to other work) made an impression on my strength, and I
became at length desirous of terminating them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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