Address of the President of the British Association. 245 



nently; and the reputation of the individual adds to the reputation of 

 his country. 



"I hardly know why, on this division of my subject more than on 

 any other, I should recall to the notice of the meeting the address of 

 that master mind, Dr. Robinson of Amagh, to the Monaghan Society ; 

 an address delivered to a provincial body in Ireland, which ought to be 

 spread over the whole empire : — but as I read it with the deepest inter- 

 est, as it is far too little known, and as I owe much to Dr. Robinson 

 for the assistance which he has now intrusted to me, I am unwilling to 

 omit this tribute of respect and gratitude. 



"In concluding this sketch of the progress and state of astronomy, 

 pardon me if I here quote a passage, which has been a favorite with 

 me for thirty years, and which I always desire to apply as a lesson 

 first to myself — and perhaps, though with great deference, as a lesson 

 to others also. It is taken from a great master of the English language 



id the best age of English literature, Henry Peacham. He is referring, 

 in substance, to the parallax of the fixed stars, and his illustration is to 

 this effect : — If from two points of the earth's surface the same star 

 appears of the same bigness, how great must be that star — how incon- 

 siderable, the earth ! His conclusion is strengthened by discoveries 

 unknown in his age : and I may extend his truth and supply the figures 

 which make it more striking. If at two extremities of the earth's orbit 

 (between which extremities not less than 180,000,000 of miles inter- 

 vene) there is no parallax, or the smallest measurable, between the 

 position of a star seen from one extremity and the position of the same 

 star seen from the other extremity, in reference to one other star or to 

 all other stars, how infinitely great must be the distance and the size of 

 the stars — how inconsiderable, the earth ! But Peacham's application 

 of the truth known in his own days I give in his own words : — 



"'If the earth were of any quantitie in respect of the higher orbes, 

 me starres should seeme bigger or lesse in regard of those hypsomata 

 (altitudes) or the climes ; buMt is certaine that at the selfesame time 

 sundrie astronomers finde the same bignesse and elevation of the selfe- 

 same starre observed by their calculation to differ no whit at all ; where* 

 b y we may see, if that distance of place which is on the earth (in res- 

 pect of the heavenly orbes) exceedeth all sence, it followes that the earth 

 (poore little point as it is) seemes the like, if it be compared with 

 heaven : yet thw is that point which, with fire and sword, is divided 

 among so many nations, the matter of our glorie, our seate ; heere we 

 ha ve our honors, our armies, our commands ; heere we heape up riches, 

 " Perpetual warre and strife among ourselves, who (like the toad) shal 

 asleepe with most earth in his pawes ; never thinking how of a 

 foment of time well spent upon this poore plot or dung-hill, common 

 10 leasts as well as ourselves, dependeth eternitie and the fruition of 

 °ur true happinesse in the presence of heaven, and court of the King 



k'ngs for ever and ever.' 

 , . The extensive and diversified field of Physiology presents so many 

 °bjects of nearly equal interest, as to make it difficult, in a rapid sketch 

 " ke the present,— and above all for one like me,— to select those which 

 "fcy least unworthily occupy the attention of the Association. 



at 

 fall 



