146 LETTERS ON NATURAL MAGIC. 



magnitude, but the image diminished as it receded 

 from it, and was reduced to one-half when the 

 phenomenon disappeared. 



A very unusual example of aerial spectres oc- 

 curred to Dr. A. P. Buchan while walking on the 

 cliff about a mile to the east of Brighton, on the 

 morning of the 28th of November, 1804. " While 

 watching the rising of the sun," says he, " I 

 turned my eyes directly towards the sea, just as 

 the solar disk emerged from the surface of the 

 water, and saw the face of the cliff on which I 

 was standing represented precisely opposite to 

 me at some distance on the ocean. Calling the 

 attention of my companion to this appearance, 

 we discerned our own figures standing on the 

 summit of the apparent opposite cliff, as well as 

 the representation of the windmill near at hand. 



'* The reflected images were most distinct pre- 

 cisely opposite to where we stood, and the false 

 cliff seemed to fade away, and to draw near to 

 the real one, in proportion as it receded towards 

 the west. This phenomenon lasted about ten 

 minutes, or till the sun had risen nearly his own 

 diameter above the surface of the ocean. The 

 whole then seemed to be elevated into the air, 

 and successively disappeared, giving an impres- 

 sion very similar to that which is produced by 

 the drawing up of a drop-scene in a theatre. 

 The horizon was cloudy, or perhaps it might 

 with more propriety be said that the surface of 

 the sea was covered with a dense fog of many 

 yards in height, and which gradually receded 

 before the rays of the sun." 



An illusion of a different kind, though not 

 less interesting, is described by the Rev. Mr. 



