400 Description of the Aurora Borealis. 



ened a little, the Aurora Borealis became more brilliant in its 

 appearance, sending beautiful coruscations of light, in rapid 

 succession, towards the zenith, and frequently passing that 

 point ten or fifteen degrees to the southward. I have been 

 assured, by those who are ;well acquainted with this beautiful 

 phenomenon, that they have not seen any appearance of it 

 equal in brilliancy and beauty to this, for upwards of six and 

 thirty years." " Last night," says a third, '' we were favoured 

 with that interesting phenomenon, the Aurora Borealis, or 

 Northern Twilight, which so often amuses and cheers our 

 neighbours in the north, but seldom, I believe, is seen in our 

 latitude. It was without those varied colours," adds this 

 writer, '^ which cause it to be a grand spectacle in those re- 

 gions." " Not far from the horizon," he adds, " in the northern 

 hemisphere, were transparent bodies of light, eclipsing the bright- 

 ness of the stars, which, however, were perceptible through it. 

 From hence, beams of light, varying in degrees of brightness 

 and breadth, shot up towards the zenith ; here streamers of 

 light flew from the east to the west, and from west to east. 

 The southern hemisphere was cloudless, the stars shining with 

 brilliancy. By the light of this phenomenon, I could discern 

 the time of night, which was between eleven and twelve, as well 

 as other objects, as they appear on a moon-light night, when 

 the moon is obscured by clouds." " The sky in the north," we 

 are told by the fourth, " appeared as if a light shone from be- 

 hind some dark masses of clouds. As I approached Hamp- 

 stead, the silvery light was gradually tinged with rosy spiral 

 streams, like those which sometimes precede the rising and 

 follow the setting sun. These spiral red streaks did not appear 

 to move quickly ; but they were subsequently followed by the 

 merry dancers, which fully maintained the character bestowed 

 upon them by our northern neighbours. After passing through 

 Hampstead, I crossed the heath, and came down what is called 

 North-end Hill, to Golder's Green, Hendon. When you arrive 

 at the foot of the hill, you enter upon the open part of Golder's 

 Green, where you have a clear and unobstructed view of the 

 sky from west to north. I never shall forget the grandeur of the 

 scene which awaited me there. A continuous border of dark 

 cloud skirted the horizon completely from west to north, whilst 



