37 8 BACON 



Let it be tried on common flame. 



The effect of comets (if we can reckon them amongst me- 

 teors) in augmenting the heat of the season is not found to be 

 constant or clear, although droughts have generally been ob- 

 served to follow them. However, luminous lines, and pillars, 

 and openings, and the like, appear more often in winter than in 

 summer, and especially with the most intense cold but joined 

 with drought. Lightning, and coruscations, and thunder, how- 

 ever, rarely happen in winter, and generally at the time of the 

 greatest heats. The appearances we term falling stars are gen- 

 erally supposed to consist of some shining and inflamed viscous 

 substance, rather than of violently hot matter; but let this be 

 further investigated. 



Some coruscations emit light without burning, but are never 

 accompanied by thunder. 



Eructations and eruptions of flame are to be found in cold 

 climates as well as in hot, as in Iceland and Greenland ; just as 

 the trees of cold countries are sometimes inflammable and more 

 pitchy and resinous than in warm, as the fir, pine, and the like. 

 But the position and nature of the soil, where such eruptions are 

 wont to happen, are not yet sufficiently investigated to enable us 

 to subjoin a negative instance to the affirmative. 



All flame is constantly more or less warm, and this instance 

 is not altogether negative ; yet it is said that the ignis fatuus (as 

 it is called), and which sometimes is driven against walls, has 

 but little heat; perhaps it resembles that of spirits of wine, 

 which is mild and gentle. That flame, however, appears yet 

 milder, which in some well authenticated and serious histories 

 is said to have appeared round the head and hair of boys and 

 virgins, and instead of burning their hair, merely to have played 

 about it. And it is most certain that a sort of flash, without any 

 evident heat, has sometimes been seen about a horse when 

 sweating at night, or in damp weather. It is also a well-known 

 fact, and it was almost considered as a miracle, that a few years 

 since a girl's apron sparkled when a little shaken or rubbed, 

 which was, perhaps, occasioned by the alum or salts with which 

 the apron was imbued, and which, after having been stuck to- 

 gether and incrusted rather strongly, were broken by the fric- 

 tion. It is well known that all sugar, whether candied or plain, 

 if it be hard, will sparkle when broken or scraped in the dark. 

 In like manner sea and salt water is sometimes found to shine 

 at night when struck violently by the oar. The foam of the sea 

 when agitated by tempests also sparkles at night, and the Span- 

 iards call this appearance the sea's lungs. It has not been suffi- 

 ciently ascertained what degree of heat attends the flame which 

 the ancient sailors called Castor and Pollux, and the moderns 

 call St. Ermus's fire. 



