44 nrmix rxivKiisiTY 



what obloquy might attach to them, or how few might be the number 

 of his adherents. In all such cases, " when the battle's lost and won," 

 it is best to let its heat and its excitements pass away. But, unfortu- 

 nately for Ball's peace of mind, it was not in his nature altogether to 

 do so. He was keenly sensitive to any remark that he regarded as un- 

 true or unkind. To most men these " paper ballets of the brain" would 

 have caused no annoyance ; w T ith him it was different. The shaft might 

 be a light one ; but if it struck him at all, the barb was difficult to 

 extract, and left a scar behind. 



For the last three years of his life his letters to me were much less 

 frequent than formerly. He was, in fact, too much engaged to write 

 anything that he could well avoid. His usual period of recreation was 

 from 1852 abandoned, and, in point of fact, never did he slave so hard 

 as when he was freed from the necessity of attendance in the Secretary's 

 office. During his Castle-life there were six weeks of holiday, which 

 the regulations of the office sanctioned, and which he spent in visits to 

 Youghal and other excursions. The bow which had for many months 

 been kept in a state of tension was then unstrung, and regained in a great 

 degree its natural elasticity ; but after his appointment to the College 

 Museum a great change took place. These precious holidays were set 

 apart for Museum work, and the health-giving period of relaxation was 

 abridged or abandoned. "When other public appointments were subse- 

 quently added, he strove zealously to perform their duties, and most 

 efficiently he did so ; but he attained his end by giving up leisure, recre- 

 ation, and bodily exercise. Nature enforced, as in all such cases, a 

 heavy penalty for the neglect of those observances prescribed by the laws 

 of health. 



It was in vain that friends in the country wrote and pressed him to 

 come to them on a visit, holding out such attractions as their different 

 localities offered. He thanked them, accepted their invitations ; but 

 deferred his going until "a more convenient season." That season never 

 came. The deaths of several eminent naturalists during the last few 

 years, some of whom were among his most valued friends, were at times 

 much in his thoughts, and were spoken of in pathetic terms. 



At the beginning of February, 1857, 1 was his guest for a few days, 



and thought he was looking particularly well, though complaining of 



less nights. We were present at the conversazione given on the 4th 



of February by the President of the Royal Irish Academy. We went 



