166 PHOSPHORESCENCE IN 



for about two years, when the report became 

 general that 'mysterious lights were seen every 

 night in his cabin. The subject attracted a great 

 deal of attention. ... I determined to submit the 

 matter to the ordeal of my own senses ; and for 

 this purpose visited the cabin for fourteen nights. 

 On three nights only did I witness anything un- 

 usual. Once I perceived a luminous fog, resem- 

 bling the Aurora Borealis ; and twice I saw scintil- 

 lations, like the sparkling phosphorescence exhibited 

 by sea-infusoria. From the close scrutiny I made, 

 I can with certainty say that no imposition, was 

 either employed or attempted/' 



These strange luminous apparitions are never 

 seen but in cases of extensive disease. The 

 theories that have hitherto been brought forward 

 to explain them are quite inadequate to account 

 for these phenomena. 



I read also of another similar case of phosphoric 

 light glimmering about the bed of a woman in 

 Milan. This light fled from the hand which ap- 

 proached it, and was at length entirely dispersed 

 by a current of air. 



Of the same kind are those luminous appear- 

 ances which are sometimes, though rarely, seen 

 in houses, and which have been called " Elf- 

 candles 33 by the Scotch. They are supposed to 

 portend the death of some person in the house. 

 As they have been known to occur before death 



