made sensible
in our instruments. The results hitherto obtained are encouraging, but
they shew clearly that it is vain to attempt this enquiry except in
the most superb weather; and there has not been a night deserving that
epithet for some months past.--The preparations for observing the
Transits of Venus were now begun in earnest. I had come to the
conclusion, that after every reliance was placed on foreign and
colonial observatories, it would be necessary for the British
Government to undertake the equipment of five or six temporary
stations. On Feb. 15th I sent a pamphlet on the subject to Mr Childers
(First Lord of Admiralty), and in April I wrote to the Secretary,
asking authority for the purchase of instruments. On June 22nd
authority is given to me for the instruments: the Treasury assent to
_L10,500_. On August 9th I had purchased 3 equatoreals.--I have given
a short course of Lectures in the University of Cambridge on the
subject of Magnetism, with the view of introducing that important
physical science into the studies of the University. The want of books
available to Students, and the novelty of the subject, made the
preparation more laborious than the duration of the lectures would
seem to imply."--In this year there was much work on the Standards
Commission, chiefly regarding the suggested abolition of Troy Weight,
and several Papers on the subject were prepared by Airy.--He also
wrote a long and careful description of the Great Equatoreal at
Greenwich.

Of private history: There was the usual visit to Playford in the
winter. Mrs Airy was now becoming feebler, and did not now leave
Greenwich: since April of this year her letters were written in
pencil, and with difficulty, but she still made great efforts to keep
up the accustomed correspondence.--In April Airy went to Cambridge to
deliver his lectures on magnetism to the undergraduates: the following
passage occurs in one of his letters at this time: "I have a mighty
attendance (there were 147 names on my board yesterday), and, though
the room is large with plenty of benches, I have been obliged to bring
in some chairs. The men are exceedingly attentive, and when I look up
I am quite struck to see the number of faces staring into mine. I go
at 12, and find men at the room copying from my big papers: I lecture
from 1 to 2, and stop till after 3, and through the last hour some men
are talking to me and others are copying from the papers; and I
usually lea