VOL. LIX.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 6H 



Marine at Paris. By M. Messier, of the Royal Acad, of Sciences, and 



F. R. S. Translated by J. Bevis, M. D., F. R. S. p. 86. 



The morning of the 6th of August, 1768, was for the most part, serene, and 

 the afternoon was quite so. At near Q at night, the western horizon was 

 illuminated with a very sensible twilight, which increased greatly on that which 

 the sun had left. About 10 o'clock, the sky being perfectly clear, excepting one thick 

 cloud, the aurora was considerable; several streams of light had then shot up 

 from the horizon. At half after 10, the aurora occupied nearly one half of the 

 horizon, extending from the west to the north-east, and the horizon seemed to 

 be covered with an uneven thick smoke, from which issued several streamers of 

 light; two of which, to the westward, arose to a great height, passing through 

 the tail of the Great Bear, and were sensibly inclined to each other, tending to 

 unite in the zenith. Both these luminous streamers kept in a continual 

 agitation, which lasted the whole time of their existence, that is till 11 o'clock. At 

 the foot of these lights was the furnace, which glowed with rays of light less 

 elevated, and sensibly inclined to the horizon; these were also in continual 

 agitation. At 11, 6 streamers, parallel to one another, shot up in the north, 

 under the constellation of the Little Bear; they ascended not so high, but were 

 more conspicuous than the two preceding ones, and their undulations were not 

 so quick. About half past 11, the sky began to beclouded; at midnight it 

 was so all over. 



Dec. 5, 1768, about 7 in the evening, thenorthem quarter was enlightened with 

 an incipient aurora borealis, which increased gradually. At 1 1 at night it was very 

 conspicuous, numbers of luminous streamers darting up from below the horizon, 

 some of them reaching the zenith; but none of the streamers lasted any con- 

 siderable time, and their light was but feeble. Several whitish clouds appeared 

 in the north ; the furnace occupied a great part of the horizon. This phe- 

 nomenon lasted almost the whole night. 



The same aurora was observed at Berlin, where it lasted from 6 in the evening 

 till 9. It was also observed at Vienna, where it is said that the needle of a 

 compass lost, during this phenomenon, its usual direction, shifting at first 2 degrees 

 eastward, and afterwards 4 degrees the contrary way; it was at the same time 

 remarked that the electrical machine had acquired an uncommon degree of force. 



XPV. Observations on the Expectations of Lives, the Increase of Mankind, the 



Influence of great Towns on Population, and particularly the State of London 



with respect to Heallhfulness and Number of Inhabitants. By Mr. Richard 



Price, F. R. S. p. 89. 



<>; For these observations, see p. 167, of Dr. Price's Treatise on Reversionary 



Payments, 2d edit. J 772; where it is re-published with corrections, and several 



additions, particularly a postscript. . .... 



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