Notice of the late Aurora Borealis. 91 



pothetical, but the application to the phenomena of earth- 

 quakes and volcanos. 



It appears an important recommendation of the present 

 view, that causes as here provided which admit of indefinite 

 continuance, and of unlimited renovation. There appears 

 no reason why, on the whole, the phenomena should cease, 

 as long as the earth exists. It has therefore the great New- 

 tonian requisites of a good theory ; its principles are true, 

 and it is sufficient. 



It has this additional advantage — it embraces all that is 

 possible in former theories. Coal, lignite, sulphur and pe- 

 troleum, and fermenting pyrites, will all conspire with the 

 great operations, at which we have so briefly hinted. Burnt 

 substances will return again to their combustible condition, 

 and combustibles will burn anew, in unlimited succession. 

 Heat, light, electricity, magnetism, decompositions and re- 

 compositions without number, — the evolution of elastic fluids 

 in boundless quantities, and ill the violent mechanical ef- 

 fects, which their action is nown to produce ; these are 

 among the known and familih. ■ effects of this power, and all 

 the materials, necessary to render it active, are existing in 

 the earth, on a scale of immense extent. These sugges- 

 tions might be fortified by many particulars. At pres- 

 ent they are thrown out, as leading, although not entirely 

 original thoughts, and in concluding we can only say with 

 Horace, 



Si quid novisti rectius istis 

 Candidas imperti ; si non his utere mecuni. 



Art. XVI. — Notice of the late Aurora Borealis, in a letter 

 from Mr. Benjamin D. Silliman, to the Editor, dated 

 New York, October 20th, 1827; also in letters from Dr. 

 Holyoke, Professor Cleaveland, and others, and in 

 notices selected from the newspapers. 



Dear Sir — I have taken pains to collect some facts, in re- 

 lation to the beautiful phenomenon (connected, as is suppo- 

 sed with the Boreal Lights,) which was visible on the night 

 of the 28th of August, 1827 — and now transmit the substance 

 of them to you, that if deemed important, it may be preser- 

 ved in the xlmerican Journal of Science. They may per- 

 haps prove valuable, in connexion with similar phenomena 

 which may be hereafter observed. 



This aurora borealis was generally seen in the northern 



