SPEECH OP SIR WILLIAM ARMSTRONG. 381 



sphere, to which we apply the diminutive term " spots," exhibit 

 the extremities of those leaf-like bodies pointing inwards, and 

 fringing the sides of the cavern far down into the abyss. Some- 

 times they form a sort of rope or bridge across the chasm, and ap- 

 pear to adhere to one another by lateral attraction. I can imagine 

 nothing more deserving of the scrutiny of observers than these ex- 

 traordinary forms. The sympathy also which appears to exist 

 between forces operating in the sun and magnetic forces belonging 

 to the earth merits a continuance of that close attention which it 

 has already received from the British Association, and of labours 

 such as General Sabine has with so much ability and effect devoted 

 to the elucidation of the subject. I may here notice that the most 

 remarkable phenomenon which was seen by independent observers 

 at two different places on the 1st of September, 1859. A sudden 

 outburst of light, far exceeding the brightness of the sun's surface,, 

 was seen to take place, and sweep like a drifting cloud over a por- 

 tion of the solar face. This was attended with magnetic distur- 

 bances of unusual intensity and with exhibitions of aurora of extra- 

 ordinary brilliancy. The identical instant at which the effusion 

 of light was observed was recorded by an abrupt and strongly 

 marked deflection in the self-registering instruments at Kew. The 

 phenomenon .as seen was probably only part of what actually took 

 place, for the magnetic storm in the midst of which it occurred 

 commenced before and continued after the event. If conjecture be 

 allowable in such a case, we may suppose that this remarkable 

 event had some connexion with the means by which the sun's 

 heat is renovated. It is a reasonable supposition that the sun 

 was at that time in the act of receiving a more than usual acces- 

 sion of new energy ; and the theory which assigns the maintenance 

 of its power to cosmical matter plunging into it with that prodi- 

 gious velocity which gravitation would impress upon it, as it ap- 

 proached to actual contact with the solar orb, would afford an ex- 

 planation of this sudden exhibition of intensified light in harmony 

 with the knowledge we have now attained that arrested motion is 

 represented by equivalent heat. Teloscopic observations will pro- 

 bably add new facts to guide our judgment on this subject, and, 

 taken in connexion with observations on terrestrial magnetism, 

 may enlarge and correct our views respecting the nature of heat, 

 light, and electricity. Much as we have yet to learn respecting 

 these agencies, we know sufficient to infer that they cannot be 

 transmitted from the sun to the earth except by communication 



