other occasion I was so ill-prepared that I had
contemplated giving notice that I was unable to complete the hour's
lecture, but I saw in the front row some strangers, introduced by some
of my regular attendants, very busy in taking notes, and as it was
evident that a break-down now would not do, I silently exerted myself
to think of something, and made a very good lecture.

"On Mar. 1st, as official examiner, I received notices from 14
candidates for Bell's Scholarships, and prepared my Paper of
questions. I do not remember my day of examination; but I had all the
answers to all the examiners' questions in my hands, when on Mar. 27th
I received notice that my father had died the preceding evening. This
stopped my Lectures: they were concluded in the next term. I think
that I had only Mechanics and imperfect Optics this term, no
Hydrostatics; and that the resumed Lectures were principally
Optical. They terminated about May 14th.

"With my brother I at once went to Bury to attend my father's
funeral. He was buried on Mar. 31st, 1827, in the churchyard of Little
Whelnetham, on the north side of the church. Shortly afterwards I went
to London, and on Apr. 5th I attended a meeting of the Board of
Longitude, at which Herschel produced a Paper regarding improvements
of the Nautical Almanac. Herschel and I were in fact the leaders of
the reforming party in the Board of Longitude: Dr Young the Secretary
resisted change as much as possible. After the meeting I went to
Cambridge. I find then calculations of achromatic eye-pieces for a
very nice model with silk threads of various colours which I made with
my own hands for my optical lectures.

"On Apr. 7th Herschel wrote to me that the Professorship held by Dr
Brinkley (then appointed Bishop of Cloyne) at Dublin would be vacant,
and recommended it to my notice, and sent me some introductions. I
reached Dublin on Apr. 15th, where I was received with great kindness
by Dr Brinkley and Dr MacDonnell (afterwards Provost). I there met the
then Provost Dr Bartholomew Lloyd, Dr Lardner, Mr Hamilton (afterwards
Sir W. R. Hamilton) and others. In a few days I found that they
greatly desired to appoint Hamilton if possible (they did in fact
overcome some difficulties and appoint him in a few months), and that
they would not make such an augmentation as would induce me to offer
myself as a candidate, and I withdrew. I have always remembered with
gratitude Dr MacDonnell's conduct, in carefu