B. AIRY.
_Professor Selwyn_.
* * * * *
The following letter has reference to Airy's proposal to introduce
certain Physico-Mathematical subjects into the Senate-House
Examination for B.A. Honors at Cambridge. On various occasions he
sharply criticized the Papers set for the Senate-House Examination and
the Smith's Prize Examination, and greatly lamented the growing
importance of pure mathematics and the comparative exclusion of
physical questions in those examinations. His proposal as finally
submitted in the letter that follows was somewhat modified (as regards
the mode of introducing the subjects) from his original draft, in
deference to the opinions of Whewell, Adams, Routh, and other friends
to whom he had submitted it. His proposal was favourably received by
the Mathematical Board, and recommendations were made in the
direction, though not to the extent, that he desired, and he
subsequently submitted a Memorandum on those recommendations:
ROYAL OBSERVATORY, GREENWICH,
_1866, May 11_.
MY DEAR SIR,
You will perceive, from perusal of the enclosed paper, that I have
acted on the permission which you kindly gave me, to transmit to you
my proposal for extension of the mathematical education of the
University in the Physical direction.
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