336 On the Meteors of 12th November, 1833. 



the meteors, no reason can be given why the meteors, if they were 

 self luminous 9 should not have been seen to commence their flight 

 at the very origin itself, or in its vicinity ; or, at least (if the thought 

 should occur that the origin may have been too distant to admit of 

 such small bodies producing impressions on the retina at the instant 

 of their departure from it) why they should not have been seen as 

 minute points swelling gradually into magnitude and brightning grad- 

 ually into brilliance ; — whereas the fact was observed to be that none 

 except the meteors of very short and gentle flights, started in the im- 

 mediate vicinity of the radiant — and not one, directly at the radiant, 

 excepting now and then a motionless meteor that disappeared at the 

 point where it was first discovered : and, in place of the meteors 

 swelling gradually on the sight, the fact was observed to be that each 

 in its own place was suddenly lighted up, as if an opake body in the 

 act of rapid motion, had instantly beco*ne intensely brilliant. Nor 

 if the meteors were self-luminous, can any reason be given (ei- 

 ther in case the point of apparent divergence was the real origin 

 or an imaginary radiant) why the meteors which were largest and 

 most luminous, among those which traversed any given part of the 

 visible heavens, were not discerned in general the farthest back in 

 their path and nearest to the radiant; — whereas the fact was observ- 

 ed to be, that the largest and most luminous meteors started into 

 view at every distance from the radiant, promiscuously with the mi- 

 nutest points. In fact the most brilliant meteor which the writer saw 

 on the morning of the 13th, blazed into view as far as 90° from the 

 radiant, having an altitude of 20°, or perhaps a little more, and an 

 azimuth of N. 15° W. ; falling vertically down to the tops of the 

 hills which were about 4° elevated, where its train tapered to a point. 

 It was a fiery ball of a deep red color, and perhaps 6' in diameter 

 when divested of the glare which made its appearance full as large 

 as 10', and it travelled down the sky with majestic rapidity, car- 

 rying an impression of united force and splendor. Its track was 

 marked by a train of uniform breadth, but little exceeding that of 

 the ball, and of the same deep color, excepting that it was prismatic 

 in its tints — certainly near the point where the meteor seemed to be 

 expiring. The general aspect of the phenomenon was the same as 

 if a column of glowing melted metal had been poured down from the 

 spot whence the meteor issued 



• From what is now known respecting the height and magnitude of one of these 



bodies 



