I wish that I may have the good fortune to prove to the world that I do not accept this offer without an implied engagement on my part.  I beg leave again to thank you for your attention, and to assure you that the form in which it is conveyed makes it doubly acceptable.

With sincere respect I have the honor to be, Sir,
Your very faithful Servant,
G.B.  AIRY.

The Right Hon. Sir Robert Peel, Bart.,
  First Lord of the Treasury, &c., &c.

WHITEHALL,
Feb. 19th 1835.

SIR,

I will give immediate directions for the preparation of the Warrant settling the Pension on Mrs Airy—­the effect of which will be, as you suppose, to grant the Pension to her for her life.  I assure you I never gave an official order, which was accompanied with more satisfaction to myself than this.

I have the honor to be, Sir. 
Your faithful Servant,
ROBERT PEEL.

Mr Professor Airy,
  &c., &c.,
    Cambridge.

* * * * *

“On March 18th 1835 I started (meeting Sheepshanks at Kingstown) for Ireland.  We visited Dublin Observatory, and then went direct to Markree near Sligo, to see Mr Cooper’s telescope (our principal object).  We passed on our return by Enniskillen and Ballyjamesduff, where my former pupil P. Morton was living, and returned on Apr. 3rd.—­On Apr. 20th I was elected to the Royal Society, Edinburgh.—­Apr. 22nd my wife wrote me from Edensor that her sister Florence was very ill:  she died shortly after.—­On May 4th I began lectures and finished on May 29th:  there were 58 names.—­My former pupil Guest asks my interest for the Recordership of Birmingham.—­In June was circulated the Syndicate Report on the Observatory.—­The date of the Preface to the 1834 Observations is June 16th.

“The Ministry had been again changed in the spring, and the Whigs were again in power.  On June 11th Lord Auckland, who was again First Lord of the Admiralty (as last year), again wrote to me to offer me the office of Astronomer Royal, or to request my suggestions on the filling up of the office.  On June 15th I wrote my first reply, and on June 17th wrote to accept it.  On June 18th Lord Auckland acknowledges, and on June 22nd the King approved.  Lord Auckland appointed to see me on Friday, June 23rd, but I was unwell.  I had various correspondence with Lord Auckland, principally about buildings, and had an appointment with him for August 13th.  As Lord Auckland was just quitting office, to go to India, I was introduced to Mr Charles Wood, the Secretary of the Admiralty, with whom principally the subsequent business was transacted.  At this meeting Lord Auckland and Mr Wood expressed their feeling, that the Observatory had fallen into such a state of disrepute that the whole establishment ought to be cleared out.  I represented that I could make it efficient with a good First Assistant; and the other Assistants were