On the 1st of October 1824 he was elected fellow of Trinity, and in December 1826 was appointed Lucasian professor of mathematics in succession to Thomas Turton.
Johnson, whose chief asset was the MS. tragedy of Irene, was at first the host of his former pupil, who, however, before the end of the year took up his residence at Rochester with John Colson (afterwards Lucasian professor at Cambridge).
In 1701 he resigned his living to become deputy at Cambridge to Sir Isaac Newton, `Thom two years later he succeeded as Lucasian professor of mathematics.
From 1828 to 1839 Babbage was Lucasian professor of mathematics at Cambridge.