A GLIMPSE THROUGH THE CORRIDORS OF TIME. 479 



age. I have seen old oysters obtained from newly discovered and 

 crowded beds that as food were literally worthless ; but the specimens 

 discussed were not found in such conditions. 



It is fortunate for science when some intelligent man like Captain 

 Brown puts the student in the way of a fact so interesting ; and that 

 interest grows into an intense enjoyment when the tradition is ratified 

 by a reading of Nature's own writing. I remember the case of an 

 oyster-grower at Keyport, who noticed that a fine " prime " oyster was 

 spoiled for market because the dredge had broken a piece, measuring 

 three quarters of an inch, off the nib, so that the mollusk itself was 

 exposed. This was in October. He took the broken oyster and put 

 it in the water by the side of a pile. Next summer he examined it, 

 and found that the animal had completely repaired his house, thus 

 establishing two important facts the great damage which the mol- 

 lusk can repair, and the time needed for the reparation. 



A GLIMPSE THROUGH THE CORRIDOES OF TIME* 



By EOBERT S. BALL, LL. D., F. E. S., 



ANDREWS PROFESSOR OF ASTRONOMY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN, AND ROYAL ASTRONOMER 



OF IRELAND. 



YOUR committee has done me much honor by inviting me to de- 

 liver the first lecture in this large and very beautiful hall. In 

 accepting the task I was aware that it involved a great responsibility, 

 but I had various grounds of encouragement. I remembered that I 

 was not coming among you as a stranger, and I knew that I had a sub- 

 ject worthy of a memorable occasion. I would I were equally confi- 

 dent of my ability to do justice to so noble a theme. 



The lecture bears the somewhat poetic title of "A Glimpse through 

 the Corridors of Time. 1 ' A poetic title has been chosen, because, if I 

 can properly exhibit the subject, you will see that it appeals powerfully 

 to the imagination as well as to the reason. I shall invite you to use 

 your imagination to aid in looking back into the very remotest recesses 

 of antiquity. And when I speak of antiquity I do not mean the pal- 

 try centuries with which our historians have to deal. The ancient 

 days to which I refer are vastly anterior to those of the " grand old 

 masters " and those of the " bards sublime." Nor do we even allude 

 to the thousands of years which have elapsed since Babylon and Nine- 

 veh were splendid and populous cities. Even the noble pyramids of 

 Egypt are but of yesterday when compared with the seons of years 

 which must pass before our review. 



The most ancient human monuments that now exist can not, I snp- 



* Lecture delivered at the Midland Institute, Birmingham, October 24, 1S81. 



