METEORS AND AEROLITES. 273 



less testimony from similar occurrences in our own time. It 

 is one of the many instances furnished by science, of ancient 

 truths, long obscured or discredited, coming suddenly into 

 fresh light and receiving illustration from new and unex- 

 pected sources. The chemist's crucible, and the eye of the 

 mineralogist, disclosed results as to these stones which no 

 conjecture could have predicted; and in the end compelled 

 the belief so long and obstinately denied. 



The stone which fell at Wold Cottage in Yorkshire, in 1795, 

 was that which contributed most explicitly to this conversion. 

 Its fall was seen by two persons, following an explosion in 

 the air. It had penetrated to a depth of 18 inches in the 

 soil and chalk whence it was taken. It weighed about 56 Ibs. 

 Happily it was placed in the hands of an able chemist of the 

 time, Mr. Howard, whose analysis of it was published in 

 the Ph. Transactions for 1802. Yet when Pictet, who had 

 just come from England, read a communication to the 

 French Institute on this subject, "il y trouva une incredulite 

 telle qu'il lui fallut une sorte de courage pour achever sa 

 lecture.' A month after, however, Vauquelin produced to 

 the Institute an analysis of his own, fully confirming that of 

 Howard ; a few months later the great fall of stones (2,000 

 or 3,000 in number, ' une veritable pluie de pierres meteo- 

 riques,') occurred at L'Aigle, in Normandy ; information was 

 obtained about the same time of a numerous shower of stones 

 at Benares, on the Granges ; and similar evidences were mul- 

 tiplied on every side. The fall at L'Aigle, however, may be 

 noted above all, as it led to a local investigation by Biot ; who 

 hastened himself to the spot, and with characteristic zeal and 

 ability not merely authenticated the event, but obtained 

 proof as to various incidents attending it, of great value to 

 the true theory of all such falling bodies. Of these the most 

 important was the fact, well ascertained, that the direction 

 of the meteors from which the stones fell must have been 



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