166 PHOSPHORESCENCE IN 
for about two years, when the report became 
general that mysterious lights were seen every 
night in his cabin. The subject attracted a great 
deal of attention. .. . I determined to submit the 
matter to the ordeal of my own senses; and for 
this purpose visited the cabin for fourteen nights. 
On three nights only did I witness anything un- 
usual. Once I perceived a lwminous fog, resem- 
bling the Aurora Borealis; and twice I saw scintil- 
lations, like the sparkling phosphorescence exhibited 
by sea-infusoria. From the close scrutiny I made, 
I can with certainty say that no imposition was 
either employed or attempted.” 
These strange luminous apparitions are never 
seen but in cases of extensive disease. The 
theories that have hitherto been brought forward 
to explam them are quite inadequate to account 
for these phenomena. 
I read also of another similar case of phosphoric 
hght glimmering about the bed of a woman in 
Milan. This leght fled from the hand which ap- 
proached it, and was at length entirely dispersed 
by a current of air. 
Of the same kind are those luminous appear- 
ances which are sometimes, though rarely, seen 
in houses, and which have been called “ H/f- 
candles”? by the Scotch. They are supposed to 
portend the death of some person in the house. 
As they have been known to occur before death 
