xlvi BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE. 



service to the Eoyal Astronomical Society, both as a referee and as a contributor to the 

 annual reports. These references and notices often cost him much time and thought. 



He was President of the Royal Astronomical Society for the second time in 1874-76, 

 when the medal was awarded to D' Arrest and to Le Verrier. In 1870, as Vice-President, 

 he delivered the address on the presentation of the medal to Delaunay, of whose general 

 method of treating the lunar theory he had the greatest possible admiration. In 1881 

 he was offered the position of Astronomer Royal, which he declined. In 1884 he was 

 one of the delegates for Great Britain to the International Prime Meridian Conference at 

 Washington. He was also present at the meetings of the British Association at Montreal 

 and of the American Association at Philadelphia in the same year. This visit to America 

 afforded him great enjoyment and gratification. 



He received the honorary degree of D.C.L from Oxford, of LL.D. from Dublin and 

 Edinburgh, and of Doctor in Science from Bologna and from his own university. He was 

 a correspondent of the French Academy, of the Academy of Sciences of St Petersburg, 

 and of numerous other societies. 



As Lowndean Professor he lectured during one term in each year, generally on 

 the lunar theory, but sometimes on the theory of Jupiter's satellites, or the figure of the 

 Earth. His lectures on these subjects have been prepared for press by Professor 

 Sampson, who has also examined Adams's other mathematical manuscripts and arranged 

 for publication those which were sufficiently complete. 



During Adams's tenure of the directorship of the Cambridge Observatory in 1870 

 a fine transit circle by Simms was added to its equipment. This instrument has been 

 employed in observing one of the zones of the " Astronomische Gesellschaft " programme. 

 The zone assigned to the observatory was that lying between 25 and 30 of north 

 declination. 



Adams was a man of learning as well as a man of science, and his thoughts and 

 interests were far from being restricted to astronomy and mathematics. He was an 

 omnivorous reader, and his memory being exact and retentive, there were few subjects 

 upon which he was not possessed of accurate information. Botany, geology, history, and 

 divinity, all had their share of his eager attention. He derived great enjoyment also 

 from novels, and when engaged in severe mental work always had one on hand. Among 

 his more marked tastes may be mentioned his love of early printed books. His collection, 

 containing about eight hundred volumes, eighty of which belong to the fifteenth century, 

 was bequeathed by him to the University Library. The works relate principally to 

 mathematics or astronomy, theology, medicine, and the occult sciences; but he seems 

 always to have bought any fine old book that took his fancy. He was so little given 

 to talk about himself or his pursuits that probably but few of his friends were aware 

 of his affection for black-letter books. It may be mentioned that his other mathe- 

 matical books were bequeathed to the Libraries of St John's College and Pembroke 

 College. 



No one who knew him superficially, or who judged only by his quiet manner, could 

 have imagined how deeply he was affected by great political questions or passing events. 

 In times of public excitement (such as during the Franco-German war) his interest was 

 so intense that he could scarcely work or sleep. His love of nature in all its forms was 

 a source of never-failing delight to him, and he was never happier than when wandering 



