FABLES FOR GOOD OLD BOYS AND GIRLS. 131 



with matters pertaining to astronomy at all, in such a presence as this, I who have 

 made it the business of my life to delve only among the riches of the extirct 

 languages and unearth the opulence of their ancient lore ; but still, as iinacquainied 

 as I am with the noble science of astronomy, I beg- with deference and humility 

 to suggest that inasmuch as the last of these wonderful apparitions proceeded in 

 exactly the opposite direction from that pursued by the first, which you decide to 

 be the Vernal Equinox, and greatly resembled it in all particulars, is it not possible, 

 nay certain, that this last is tlie Autumnal Equi " 



" O-o-o ! " " 0-o-p ! go to bed ! go to bed ! " with annoyed derision from every- 

 body. So the poor old Woodlouse retreated out of sight, consumed with shame. 



Further discussion followed, and then the united voice of the commission begged 

 Lord Longlegs to speak. He said : 



"Fellow-scientists, it is my belief that we have witnessed a thing which, has 

 occurred in perfection but once before in the knowledge of created beings. It is a 

 phenomenon of inconceivable importance and interest, view it as one may, but its 

 interest to us is vastly heightened by an added knowledge of its nature which no 

 scholar has heretofore possessed or even suspected. This great marvel which we 

 have just witnessed, fellow-savants, (it almost takes my breath away !) is nothing 

 less than the transit of Venus ! " 



Every scholar sprang to his feet pale with astonishment. Then ensued tears, 

 hand-shakings, frenzied embraces, and the most extravagant jubilations of every 

 sort. But by and by, as emotion began to retire within bounds, and reflection to 

 return to the front, the accomplished Chief Inspector Lizard observed : 



"But how is this.' — Venus should traverse the sun's surface, not the earth's." 



The arrow went home. It carried sorrow to the breast of every apostle of 

 learning there, for none could deny that this was a formidable criticism. But 

 tranquilly the venerable Duke crossed his limbs behind his ears and said : 



"My friend has touched the marrow of our mighty discovery. Yes — all that 

 have lived before us thought a transit of Venus consisted of a flight across the sun's 

 face ; they thought it, they maintained it, they honestly believed it, simple hearts, 

 and were justified in it by the limitations of their knowledge ; but to us has been 

 granted the inestimable boon of proving that the transit occurs across the earth's 

 face, for we have seen it \ " 



