138 LAPLAND WINTER. 



powdered snow, each little piece as hard and bright 

 as rock crystal ; and the strong power of crystal- 

 lization so holds the particles of those little pieces 

 together, that even when there is a glimmer of 

 mid-day sun, that produces no vapour. The win- 

 ter sky is in consequence perfectly pure, dry, and 

 transparent. No sapphire can rival the depth of 

 its blue ; every star blazes like a diamond ; and 

 the light of the moon, of which every particle is 

 sent down through the pure air, well deserves 

 Milton's epithet of " peerless". It is so bright and 

 silvery, and so gratifying, without being the least 

 painful to the eye, that it is probably the most 

 glorious sight in nature. But it can be seen only 

 at some distance from the unfrozen sea, and the 

 collected habitations of men, as there is always 

 some action in the atmosphere at such places. 



Moonlight is not the only instance that we have 

 of cold light ; for the first beginnings of flame, in 

 substances that are easily kindled, and also the 

 last glimmers of smouldering fires, are cold and 

 blue as compared with the light of vigorous com- 

 bustion. That may be seen in the lighting of a 

 common match, the flame of the easily burned 

 sulphur on which, is cold and blue in comparison 

 with the flame after it has reached the splinter of 

 wood. Phosphorus, and also those substances 

 which give out lights that are called phosphores- 

 cent, are also cold and blue. One of the most re- 

 markable of these is the IGNIS FATUUS, or " Lan- 

 thorn Jack," which floats over marshy places, and 

 in all probability, consists of hydrogen gas com- 

 bined with phosphorus and sulphur, which being 

 exceedingly inflammable, may be set on fire by the 

 friction of the air in a breeze too gentle for agitat- 

 ing the branches or rustling the leaves. The 



