ijS Fulmnating Mercury,— -Parhelia. 



** fort epais, qui entroient les unes dans les autres ; la dernicre etoit affujettie par deux 

 *' cercles de fer qui fe croifoient en angles droits. On avoit mis quelques livrcs de mer- 

 '• cure dans la capacitc de la premiere : on mit cet appareil dans un fourneau aflez rempli 

 " de charbon pour faire rougir a blanc les boites de fer ; mais, lorfque la chaleur eut 

 " penetrc fufEfamment le mercure, les boites creverent, avec une telle exploGon qu'il fe 

 " fit un bruit epouvantable : des morceaux de boites furent lances avec tant de rapidite, 

 " qu'il J en eut qui paflerent au travers de deux planchers : d'autres firent fur la muralllc 

 " des effets femblables a ceux des eclats de bombes *." 



{To be continued.) 



viir. 



Ancient Account of Parhelia feen in Cumberland. Communicated by Mr. H, Sargeakt. 



To Mr. NICHOLSON. 

 SIR, 



HE following is copied from a manufcript written in the beginning of the 17th cen- 

 tury, and now in the library belonging to the Grammar School of St. Bees. As it relates 

 to a phsenomenon which is extremely rate, and in this inftance probably not elfewhere re- 

 corded, I fend it to you for infertion, if you think proper, in your valuable Journal, toge- 

 ther with a copy of the figure (PI. VIII. Fig. 4.) which accompanies it. 



I am, Sir, . 

 Your humble Servant, 

 Whitehaven, ijl of June \ioo. H. SARGEANT. 



Upon the 8th day of May, anno 1597, in Copland, (a diftri£t of Cumberland) was 

 feene aboute the funne, beinge fome two houres from fettingc, and entringe into a thick 

 cloudc three parrhelii, or refemblances of the funne, the brighteft towards the north, the 

 two other, one towards the fouth, and the other towards the eafte, and in a thinne whitifh 

 cloude, hardly able to be difcerned, appeared like a rayne-bowe, a prctye diftance from 

 each of the faid parrhelii. Thefe towards the north and fouth did feeme to be direft, 

 ftreight, without any compaflinge or bowinge in towards the endes, but ftoode like dire£t 

 lynes from the fouth towards the north. The one of them turned with his brightnefle 

 towards the other, but the rayne-bowe, which was eaftward from the eafte parrhelios, did 

 bowe or compafle eaftward dire£tly from the funnwards, and from the parrhelios, which 

 feemed contrary to the nature of all other rayne-bowes which ever I fawe. 



N. B. The writer is fuppofed to be the Rev. Mr. Copeland, a graduate of Oxford, 

 about the year 1 600. 



♦ Chymie efcpirimentale et raifinne, torn. ii. p. 393. Paris, 8", 1773. 



Account 



