Ball — A Geologist'' s Contribution to the Sistory of India. 75 



as a satellite of the Royal Irish Academy ; we are now in close 

 proximity with another body, but whether we shall merge into it, 

 or on the conclusion of our period be re-absorbed by our original 

 parent, time only can determine. Having entered, however, on 

 the second half- century of our existence as an independent body, 

 let us hesitate before we take any step which may hasten our 

 reaching a condition of nirvana, as our doing so would have one 

 effect," among others — it would deprive posterity of the supreme 

 gratification of celebrating our centenary. 



As on an occasion like the present some latitude is permis- 

 sible in the selection of a topic, I have chosen the following as 

 the special subject of my address : — 



A Gteglggist's Contribution to the History of Ancient 



India, 



Being an attempt to identify the sources ivhence the mineral produc- 

 tions ivere derived, which are mentioned hy the Historians of 

 India from the earliest times to the close of the eighteenth century. 



The subject of this Paper first attracted my attention in connexion 

 with the preparation of the accounts of the diamonds and gold 

 of India, read before this Society in the year 1880. Subsequently, 

 when collecting materials for my volume on the Economic Greology, 

 I found that there were many obscure historical notices upon which 

 our modern knowledge of the geology of that country was capable 

 of throwing much light. Although some of the translators and 

 critics of the ancient writings, which afford the principal part of 

 my data, have sought to illustrate their authors' meanings by re- 

 ferences to the results acquired by the systematic examination of 

 the mineral resources of India in recent times, still there is often 

 a considerable amount of vagueness and inaccuracy in these refe- 

 rences, and, so far as I can ascertain, there has not as yet been 

 published a comparative and categorical analysis of the numerous 

 allusions to the mineral resources of India, which are to be found in 

 writings belonging to the period extending from the earliest times 

 of which any records are extant up to the close of the eighteenth 

 century. 



SCIEN. PROC, K.D.S. VOL. IV. PT. II. H 



