ssant attention for so many
years, would naturally receive his careful attention and criticism,
and it attracted much general notice at the time.--In December he
wrote to the Secretary of the Royal Astronomical Society his opinion
as to the award of the Medal of the Society. In this letter he stated
the principles which guided him as follows: "I have always maintained
that the award of the Medal ought to be guided mainly by the
originality of communications: that one advance in a new direction
ought in our decision to outweigh any mass of work in a routine
already established: and that, in any case, scientific utility as
distinguished from mere elegance is indispensable."--In July
Lieut. Pinheiro of the Brazilian Navy called with an autograph letter
of introduction from the Emperor of Brazil. The Lieutenant desired to
make himself acquainted with the English system of Lighthouses and
Meteorology, and Airy took much trouble in providing him with
introductions through which he received every facility for the
thorough accomplishment of his object.--On Oct. 8th he forwarded to
Prof. Cayley proofs of Euclid's Propositions I. 47 and III. 35 with
the following remarks: "I place on the other side the propositions
which may be substituted (with knowledge of Euclid's VI. book) for the
two celebrated propositions of the geometrical books. They leave on my
mind no doubt whatever that they were invented as proofs by ratios,
and that they were then violently expanded into cumbrous geometrical
proofs."--On June 28th he declined to sign a memorial asking for the
interment of Mr Spottiswoode in Westminster Abbey, stating as his
reason, "I take it, that interment possessing such a public character
is a public recognition of benefits, political, literary, or
philosophical, whose effects will be great and durable. Now I doubt
whether it can be stated that Mr Spottiswoode had conferred such
benefits on Society. "But he adds at length his cordial recognition of
Mr Spottiswoode's scientific services.--Throughout his life Airy was a
regular attendant at church, and took much interest in the conduct of
the Church services. In October of this year he wrote a long letter
to the Vicar of Greenwich on various points, in which occurs the
following paragraph: "But there is one matter in the present form of
the Church Service, on which my feeling is very strong, namely the
(so-called, I believe) Choral Service, in the Confession, the Prayer,
and the C