And so Sabine thought that the
Government ought to interfere, probably without any clear idea of what
they could do.
I am, my dear Sir,
Yours very truly,
G.B. AIRY.
_Professor Cayley_.
* * * * *
DEAR SIR,
I have to thank you for your last letter. I do not think everything
should be subordinated to the educational element: my idea of a
University is that of a place for the cultivation of all
science. Therefore among other sciences Pure Mathematics; including
whatever is interesting as part of this science. I am bound therefore
to admit that your proposed extension of the problem of billiards, _if
it_ were found susceptible of interesting mathematical developments,
would be a fit subject of study. But in this case I do not think the
problem could fairly be objected to as puerile--a more legitimate
objection would I conceive be its extreme speciality. But this is not
an objection that can be brought against Modern Geometry as a whole:
in regard to any particular parts of it which may appear open to such
an objection, the question is whether they are or are not, for their
own sakes, or their bearing upon other parts of the science to which
they belong, worthy of being entered upon and pursued.
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