ai6 Thi! Optical Pkenometien ealltd Fata Morgan.i, 



" But if, in aJtiition to the circumftanccs before defcribed, the atmofphere be highly im- 

 pregnated with vapour, and denfe cxlialations not previouily difperfed by the adion of thf 

 wind or waves) or rarefied by the fun, it then happens that in this vapour, as in a curtain 

 extended along the channel to the height of about thirty palms, and nearly down to the 

 fca, the obferver will behold the fcenc of the fame objetls not only reflefted from the 

 furface of the fca, but likcwife in the air, though not fo diftin£l or well defined as the 

 former objcfls from the fca. 



" Lallly, if the air be (lightly hazcy and opake, and at the fame time dewy and adapted to 

 form the iri":, then the above-mentioned objcfts will appear only at the furface of die fea, 

 as in the firft cafe, but ail vividly coloured or fringed with red, green, blue, and other 

 priUnatic colours." 



The author therefore diftingulfties three forts of Fata Morgana: that is to fay, the firft at 

 the furface of the fta, which he calls the Marine Morgana ; the fecond in the air, called 

 the Aerial Morga:u ; and the third only, at tlie furface of the fea, which he calls the 

 Morgana fringed with prifmatic colours. 



In a note in this chapter P. Minafi enquires into the etymology of Morgana. After 

 various remarks, he tliiiiks the opinion of thofe who derive this word, which is fo foreign 

 to the Roman iJiom, from ^fo; triflis and yavooi lj;titi.\ afficio, is not far from the truth, 

 confidering the great exultation and joy this appearance produces in all ranks of people, 

 who on its firft commencement run haftily to the fea, exclaiming Morgana, Morgana ! He 

 remarks that he has himfelf feen this appearance three times, and that he would rather 

 behold it again than tlie moft fupeib theatrical exhibition in the world. 



In the fecond chapter the author defcribes the city of Reggio, and the neighbouring coaft 

 of Calabria} by which he ftiews that all the obje£ls which are exhibited in the Fata Mor- 

 gana are derived from objefls on fliore. 



In his third chapter, confifting of phyfical and aftronomical obfervations, he affirms that 

 the fea in the Straits of Meffina has the appearance of a large inclined fpeculum ; that 

 in the alternate current or tide which flows and returns in the Straits for Cx hours each 

 wav, and is conftantly attended by an oppofite current along fhore to the medium diftancc 

 of about a mile and a half, there are many eddies and irregularities at the time of its 

 change of direction; and that the Morgana ufually appears at this period. Whence he enters 

 into confiderations of the relative fituations of the fun and moon, which are neceflary to 

 afford high water at the proper time after fun-rife, as before defcribed. It is high water, 

 that is to fay, the northern current ceafes, at full and change, at nine o'clock. There is 

 probably a fmall rife and fall, though the annotation to a large chart before 'me affirms that 

 there is none. 



In the fourth chapter and fubfequent part of the work, the author collefls the opinion 

 and relations of various writers on this fubjeft, namely, Angclucci, Kircher, Scotus, and 

 others ; and he afterwards proceeds to account for the efTefts, by the fuppofed inclination 

 of the furface of the fca, and its fubdivifion into different plains by the contrary eddies. 

 The aijrial eB'e£\i are referred to confiderations of faline and other effluvia fufpended in the 

 air, which I forbear to abridge, becaufc it feems difficult to make any clear or produftive 

 fWement either from the narrative or the rcafoning. 



What I ftem to colleft upon the whole from the fever»l relations, and the curious print ■ 



which 



