Of course the occasion produced many letters of
congratulation from his friends: to one of these he replied as
follows: "The real charm of these public compliments seems to be, that
they excite the sympathies and elicit the kind expressions of private
friends or of official superiors as well as subordinates. In every way
I have derived pleasure from these." From the Assistants of the Royal
Observatory he received a hearty letter of congratulation containing
the following paragraph. "Our position has naturally given us peculiar
opportunities for perceiving the high and broad purposes which have
characterized your many and great undertakings, and of witnessing the
untiring zeal and self-denial with which they have been pursued."
* * * * *
On the 18th of March 1872 Airy was nominated a Foreign Associate of
the Institut de France, to fill the place vacant by the death of Sir
John Herschel. The following letter of acknowledgment shews how much
he was gratified by this high scientific honour:
ROYAL OBSERVATORY, GREENWICH,
_1872, March 23_.
_A_ Messieurs
Messieurs ELIE DE BEAUMONT,
_et_ J.
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