THE 
NATURAL HISTORY REVIEW 
AND 
QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 
Memoir of the late Robert Ball, LL. D., M. R. I. A. By Robert 
Patterson, M. R. I. A., &c. 
[The Editors of the “Natural History Review” felt desirous of publishing 
in the pages of their Journal some biographical notice of their lamented 
colleague, the late Dr. Robert Ball, so that those who knew him might 
possess in it a memorial of their departed friend, and that those who 
knew him not might understand why his death excited such unusual 
regret in the scientific and literary circles of the Irish metropolis. 
They were pleased to intrust to me the honourable though melan- 
‘ choly duty of preparing such a memoir. The family of my valued 
friend kindly offered me any assistance in their power, and access 
to letters and documents in their v possession. Thus encouraged, I have 
endeavoured to prepare, not an “Eloge,” but a simple sketch that may 
present him “ in his habit as he lived;” and in so doing I have used, 
when practicable, his own words, as embodied in letters and memo¬ 
randa.] 
Robert Ball was the son of Bob Stawel Ball, of an ancient and re¬ 
spectable family, who came from Bampton, in Devonshire, and settled, 
in Youghal in the year 1651. He was born at Cove (now Queenstown), 
county of Cork, on the 1st of April, 1802. Erom childhood he mani¬ 
fested a strong spirit of inquiry. A note, written by himself, says:— 
“I was often quizzed for my infantine expression of ‘ What’s that?’ 
‘ What would it do to a person ?’ and rated for breaking musical toys 
to ascertain the mode in which the sound was produced.” In animals 
of all kinds he took especial delight. On one occasion his teacher, 
observing that he was not paying attention to his lessons, inquired into 
the cause, and found he held in his hand a live lizard, which he took 
every opportunity of looking at, and playing with, under the table. 
VOL. V.-REV. B 
