140 r Cryophorus. 
cap. 62) notices this festival, and that it extended through~ 
out the country, and the lamps were kept burning during the 
whole night. 
In the festum enceniorum, or the feast of the dedication 
of the temple, which was celebrated in December, and last- 
ed eight days, lamps were also lighted. In Greece and 
Rome such illuminations were common, and mostly in hon- 
orof Minerva, Vulcan, Prometheus, Bacchus, &c. Such were 
he lampadaria and lamptericece of the Greeks and Romans. 
Among the oriental nations, there is even at the present 
day a celebration in which lamps.are lighted. In China, 
in particular, it is general throughout the whole empire, and 
the celebration is conducted with great splendour. 
While noticing this subject, we may remark also, that, as 
the now common practice of lighting the streets of cities was 
not in use some few centuries since, Caligula caused the 
streets of Rome to be illuminated on certain occasions, as 
when games were exhibited. After Cataline’s conspiracy 
had been defeated, and Cicero was returning home, lamps 
and torches were lighted in honor of that great orator. The 
emperor Constantine caused the city of Constantinople to be 
illuminated with lamps and wax candles. e primitive 
christians, either dictated by policy, or compelled by authori- _ 
ty, often illuminated their houses on idolatrous festivals in 
a more elegant manner than the heathens. On birth days, 
the ancients illuminated their houses by suspending lamps 
from chains. These facts show, that illuminations are of 
great antiquity, and celebrations in that way not a modern 
practice. With regard, however, to fire works proper, if 
we judge correctly, the ancients were very deficient for the 
principal reason, that they were unacquainted with gun 
powder. 
West Point, Dec. 31, 1822. 
Art. XVII.—Cryophorus of Dr. Wollaston. Eprror. 
We procured this instrument, with the balls one inch 
and a half in diameter, and the connecting tube fifteen i 
es long; the water was in such quantity, as to fill full half 
of one of the balls. The empty ball was immersed in snow, - 
and diluted nitric acid; a distillation of aqueous vapor took 
