Stuk 87 - Letter from Richard Sheepshanks

2 pp.

RS will be coming to Cambridge in the latter half of next week. He will tell WW 'of a most ridiculous exhibition made at the Astronomical last night by Sir James South'. Will WW congratulate the Plumian Professor 'on his increase of family and dignity' [George Airy moves from Lucasian professor of Mathematics to Plumian Professor of Astronomy]. 'Are you all tolerably contented with the reform [the proposed Reform Bill]' - RS thinks 'it is the most prudent and safe measure that could now be passed'. He is 'in a vast hurry as I have thrown away my morning in mollifying and confirming my astronomical friends and in vilifying South. It will be worth while, if he stand at bay, to come to the special general meeting for I think he will either submit, make an evasive O'Connel sort of fight or be expelled and in that case he must in my opinion leave the country. I shall be at him again in the Greenwich Visitation Board'.