SIR ROBERT BALL, recently delivering a lecture (by request) under the
above title, admitted that he did not quite know what it meant, as he
did not suppose Irish astronomy was different from that of other
nations. Isn't it be jabers? Judging by parity of reasoning, we can
imagine that Irish astronomy may be as _sui generis_ as are Irish
politics. It is probably unusually nebulous, and characterised by the
revolution of suns round their satellites, and the prevalence of
excentric comets and shooting stars. Had ADDISON had it in mind, he
would probably have written his celebrated hymn somewhat as follows:--
The spaycious firmament on hoigh,
And all the green Hibernian skoy,
And wrangling hivens a foighting frame,
The reign of chaos do proclaim.
What though the "stars" do shoine--and squall,
And on each other's orbits fall!
What though no order, stable, sound,
Amidst those jarring sphayres be found!
Onraison there doth loud rejoice,
At hearing echoed her own voice;
For iver shouting as they shoine,
Our hiven's a Donnybrook divoine!
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