FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100  
101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   >>   >|  
s at Sixes and Sevens. Find the probable amount of reading done by A and B while the Eights are on. The third paper was entitled "Facts, Figures, and Fancies." The best thing in it was a parody on "The Deserted Village," from which an extract will be found in a later chapter. There was also a letter to the Senior Censor of Christ Church, in burlesque of a similar letter in which the Professor of Physics met an offer of the Clarendon Trustees by a detailed enumeration of the requirements in his own department of Natural Science. Mr. Dodgson's letter deals with the imaginary requirements of the Mathematical school:-- Dear Senior Censor,--In a desultory conversation on a point connected with the dinner at our high table, you incidentally remarked to me that lobster-sauce, "though a necessary adjunct to turbot, was not entirely wholesome!" It is entirely unwholesome. I never ask for it without reluctance: I never take a second spoonful without a feeling of apprehension on the subject of a possible nightmare. This naturally brings me to the subject of Mathematics, and of the accommodation provided by the University for carrying on the calculations necessary in that important branch of Science. As Members of Convocation are called upon (whether personally, or, as is less exasperating, by letter) to consider the offer of the Clarendon Trustees, as well as every other subject of human, or inhuman, interest, capable of consideration, it has occurred to me to suggest for your consideration how desirable roofed buildings are for carrying on mathematical calculations: in fact, the variable character of the weather in Oxford renders it highly inexpedient to attempt much occupation, of a sedentary nature, in the open air. Again, it is often impossible for students to carry on accurate mathematical calculations in close contiguity to one another, owing to their mutual conversation; consequently these processes require different rooms in which irrepressible conversationalists, who are found to occur in every branch of Society, might be carefully and permanently fixed. It may be sufficient for the present to enumerate the following requisites--others might be added as funds permit:-- A. A very large room for calculating Greatest Common Measure. To this a small one might be attached fo
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100  
101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
letter
 

subject

 

calculations

 
Censor
 

Senior

 

conversation

 

Clarendon

 

Trustees

 
mathematical
 
requirements

branch

 

consideration

 

Science

 

carrying

 

inexpedient

 

attempt

 

highly

 

renders

 

occupation

 
weather

character
 

sedentary

 
Oxford
 

variable

 

inhuman

 

personally

 

exasperating

 
interest
 
capable
 

desirable


roofed
 

buildings

 

nature

 

occurred

 

suggest

 

requisites

 

enumerate

 

present

 

permanently

 

sufficient


permit

 

attached

 

Measure

 
Common
 

calculating

 

Greatest

 

carefully

 

Society

 

accurate

 

contiguity