n that, since the commencement of Mr Pond's
residence at Greenwich, Astronomy considered as an accurate
representation of the state of the heavens in the most material points
has acquired a certainty and an extent which it never had
before. There is no period in the history of the science so clean. On
some matters (in regard to the choice of observations) I might say
that my own judgment would have differed in some degree from Mr
Pond's, but one thing could have been gained only by giving up
another, and upon the general accuracy no improvement could have been
made. Mr Pond understood nothing of physical astronomy; but neither
did anybody else, in England.

"The supposed decrease of general efficiency in the last few years is
to be ascribed to the following causes:

1. Mr Pond's ill health.

2. The inefficiency of his first assistant.

3. The oppression of business connected with chronometers.

"The last of these, as I have reason to think, operated very far.
Business of this nature which (necessarily) is _daily_ and
_peremptory_ will always prevail over that which is _general_ and
_confidential_. I will not trouble you with an account of the various
ways in which the chronometer business teazed the Astronomer Royal
(several alterations having been made at my representation), but shall
merely remark that much of the business had no connection whatever
with astronomy.

"I beg to submit these remarks to your perusal, requesting you to
point out to me _what part_ of them should be laid before any of the
King's Ministers, _at what time, in what shape_, and to whom
addressed. I am quite sure that Mrs Pond's claims require nothing to
ensure favourable consideration but the impression of such a feeling
of Mr Pond's astronomical merits as must be entertained by any
reasonable astronomer; and I am most anxious to assist in conveying
this impression.

"Of private history: I went to Suffolk for a week on Mar. 25th. On
Sept. 19th my son Wilfrid (my fourth child) was born. In October I
made an excursion for a week round the coast of Kent. In November I
went to my brother's house at Keysoe in Bedfordshire: I was much
exposed to cold on the return-journey, which probably aggravated the
illness that soon followed. From Nov. 27th I was ill; made the last
journal entry of the year on Dec. 6th; the next was on Jan. 14th,
1837. I find that in this year I had introduced Arthur Biddell to the
Tithe Commutation Office, where he was