376 John Adie, Esq., on the Total Eclipse, July 28, 1851. 



brightest, extending from the moon's edge to a distance 

 equal to two-thirds of the moon's diameter, and this space 

 continued the brightest during the continuance of the total 

 eclipse. The moon's surface had a faint greyish light over 

 it, but whether this appearance was due to the luminous or 

 reflecting surface of our satellite I cannot venture to give an 

 opinion, as the thin cloud formed between it and the earth 

 may have caused such an appearance. 



To surrounding nature I gave a very hasty glance, yet 

 sufficient to impress on any one's mind the grandeur of the 

 scene around him. The moon appeared like a black patch 

 suspended in the heavens, surrounded by the silvery light or 

 glory. Mercury and Venus I saw shining about one minute 

 after the eclipse had become total, the one above and the 

 other below, and both near to the place of the obscured sun. 

 For a moment I directed my attention to the zenith, to see 

 if any of the larger fixed stars were visible, but over this por- 

 tion of the sky clouds had formed, which prevented me, in 

 this hasty glance, from discovering any. Jupiter, I under- 

 stand, was seen on or near the meridian, but I did not turn 

 my eyes in that direction. The landscape and surrounding 

 objects had a very striking appearance, from the very parti- 

 cular shade of light cast over them ; it is not easy to describe 

 the colour of the light, as I scarcely know a colour in nature 

 to which it can be compared. The appearance of it was of a 

 bluish-black livid hue, and impressed one with the idea that 

 something supernatural was about to happen. The amount 

 of light during the continuance of total eclipse I should think 

 equal to that of half-moon light ; the outline of distant hills 

 could be distinctly traced, and also the streets and houses of 

 the town of Goteburg, which lay between me and the sun's 

 place. I could see the hour and minute hands of my watch, 

 hung up at about one foot distant from me, but not the second 

 hand or minutes on the dial. 



Edinburgh, 8tA September 1851. 



