There is also a good
deal of investigation of a mathematical nature not connected with
College studies, as musical chords, organ-pipes, sketch for a
computing machine (suggested by the publications relating to
Babbage's), sketch of machine for solving equations. In August there
is a plan of a MS. on the Differential Calculus, which it appears I
wrote then: one on the Figure of the Earth written about August 15th;
one on Tides, Sept. 25th; one on Newton's Principia with algebraical
additions, Nov. 1st. On Sept. 6th and 10th there are Lunar Distances
observed with Rothman's Sextant and completely worked out; for these I
prepared a printed skeleton form, I believe my first. On December 13th
there are references to books on Geology (Conybeare and Phillips, and
Parkinson) which I was beginning to study. On July 27th, being the day
on which I completed my 21st year, I carefully did nothing.
"Another subject partly occupied my thoughts, which, though not (with
reference to practical science) very wise, yet gave me some Cambridge
celebrity. In July 1819 I had (as before mentioned) sketched a plan
for constructing reflecting telescopes with silvered glass, and had
shewn it afterwards to Mr Peacock.
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