pplause as then filled it."

In January 1823 he came back to Cambridge and started business as a coach
with four pupils, each of whom paid him twenty guineas a term. {166} By
this time the great series of his published papers had begun--indeed No.
1, "On the use of Silvered Glass for the mirrors of Reflecting
Telescopes," had already been published in 1822, by the Cambridge
Philosophical Society.

It was in 1824 that "came one of the most important occurrences" of his
life, namely, meeting the beautiful girl Richarda Smith, who was to
become his wife. They were engaged in 1824 and married six years later.
I venture the guess that her health was never very strong, for she seems
not to have been much with Airy in his holiday wanderings. Wilfrid Airy
speaks of "their deep respect and affection for one another."

On 1st October 1824, in his twenty-third year, he was elected to a
Trinity fellowship. Macaulay, who was elected the same day, speaks
somewhere of the especial value he placed on this most pleasant honour,
but he was thinking of the life of a resident Fellow, and Airy at once
told his tutor of his intention of going out into the world. He began,
however, in the October term to give mathematical lectures in Trinity.
The reader is not surprised to find that Airy now gave up the custom
which he "had followed with such regularity for five years, namely, that
of daily writing Latin." I wonder what other Senior Wrangler wrote Latin
prose while reading for the Tripos?

We have seen that the great stream of his original work had been
established. In 1822 he wrote one paper, in 1824 three, in 1825 two, in
1826 three, and in 1827 five; and this stream was to flow for sixty-five
years, _i.e._, until 1887!

On December 1826 he was elected to the Lucasian professorship, and thus
became a successor of Sir Isaac Newton. The salary when Airy was elected
was but 99 pounds a year; the present holder is more adequately paid, and
receives 850 pounds annually. His prospects in 1827 were, however, not
very good. He had to resign his tutorship when he became a professor,
and thus lost 51 pounds of income. As he would not take orders, his
fellowship, according to the atrocious system of the day, would come to
an end in seven years. But he surely judged wisely in accepting the
poorly paid office. He had to lecture in a room, not intended for the
purpose, in the old Botanic Gardens. This region is now occupied by
science