Ed.)--"On Feb. 23rd in this year I first (privately) formed
the notion of preparing a numerical Lunar Theory by substituting
Delaunay's numbers in the proper Equations and seeing what would come
of it."
Of private history: There was the usual visit to Playford--in this
year later than usual--from Feb. 4th to Mar. 4th. The letters written
during this visit are, as usual, full of freshness and delight at
finding himself in his favourite country village.--On June 5th he went
to Barrow House, near Keswick, to be present at the marriage of his
second son Hubert to Miss S. C. Langton, daughter of Z. Langton Esq.,
of Barrow House.--After the wedding he made a trip through the
Trossachs district of Scotland with his daughter Annot, and returned
to Greenwich on June 17th.
On the 26th June 1872 Airy was appointed a Knight Commander of the
Most Honourable Order of the Bath: he was knighted by the Queen at
Osborne on the 30th of July. In the course of his official career he
had three times been offered Knighthood, and had each time declined
it: but it seemed now as if his scruples on the subject were removed,
and it is probable that he felt gratified by the public recognition of
his services.
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