| Yet at times he was far seeing. As far back as 1885 in his first book “Story of The Heavens”, he says “ it does not seem probable that a man could live for one hour on any other body - except Earth. But, could we obtain a close view of some of the celestial bodies, we should probably find that they too, teem with life, but with life especially adapted to their environment. Life in forms strange and weird, stranger even than Dante described or Dore drew ". Ball’s acquisition of status brought him membership of several associations and clubs, including the Athenaeum, hobnobbing with the likes of George Bernard Shaw, meeting Royalty and heads of government, and being invited to the grandest dinner parties and events on the London social calendar. A dinner party at Lincoln’s Inn in 1893 included the Prince of Wales, the Prince of Siam, Gladstone and Balfour as well as many other dignitaries. Of course he still had his Irish connections and was an honorary member of the Common Room at Trinity. On several occasions Robert and his brother Charles, the eminent surgeon, were invited to the Greenore estate of Lord Rothmore, and this was written I believe by Mr Justice Ross, on one of these visits: Robert Ball was a man to be listened to when the public wanted any information about the Heavens. In 1899, the year he was given the Freedom of London, there was renewed interest in the Leonids. As November approached there was great excitement and preparations were made for the grand event. Our Leonid experts will know, there was no great storm or shower that year, and Ball had to bear the brunt of some scathing comments, including one headline which exclaimed: “ We hold Sir Robert Ball responsible for the disgraceful failure of the 1899 Leonids.” Prior to the arrival of Halley’s Comet in 1910, there were alarming stories in the press about the possible harmful effects of the gaseous nature of the comet’s tail, through which the earth was likely to pass; and even reports forecasting the total destruction of the earth. Ball attempted to quell people’s fears and on February 10th in a letter to The Times he wrote: Dear Sir I have received multitudes of letters relating to the comet. so many have expressed alarm as to the possibility of collision that I venture to send you the reply I have posted to one anxious enquirer. It was as follows : My Dear -------- A rhinoceros in full charge would not fear collision with a cobweb, and the earth need not fear collision with a comet. In 1861 we passed through the tail of a comet and no one knew anything about it at the time. For a hundred million years life has been continuous on this earth, though we have been visited by at least five comets every year. If comets could have done the earth any harm they would have done it long ago, and you and I would not have been discussing comets or anything else. I hope this letter will give you the assurance you want. So far as I can learn we may be in the tail of Halley about May 12th; and I sincerely hope we shall. I think Sir John Herschel said somewhere that the whole comet could be squeezed into a portmanteau ! I remain Sir your obedient servant Robert S Ball |
 |
| The Prior sent his message And in answer to his call There came the great rwin brethren Who bear the name of Ball One holds aloft the famous lance That lays appendix low His brother is on friendly terms With all the stars that glow His friend is great Arcturus His chum Aldeberan Both Cygnus and Orion swear There lived no greater man They say that stately Vega With jealousy grows dim When sly and coy Capella Is winking hard at him |
 |