317 



A few minutes before the first shock, there 

 was a very violent blast of wind, followed by an 

 electrical rain in great drops. I immediately 

 tried the atmospherical electricity by the elec- 

 trometer of Volta. The small balls separated 

 four lines ; the electricity often changed from 

 positive to negative, as is the case during storms, 

 and, in the north of Europe, even sometimes in 

 a fall of snow. The sky remained cloudy, and 

 the blast of wind was followed by a dead calm, 

 which lasted all night. The setting of the Sun 

 presented a scene of extraordinary magnificence. 

 The thick veil of the clouds was rent asunder as 

 in shreds quite near the horizon : the Sun ap- 

 peared at 12 degrees of altitude on a firma- 

 ment of indigo-blue. It's disk was enormously 

 enlarged, distorted, and undulated toward the 

 edges. The clouds were gilded ; and fasciculi 

 of divergent rays, which reflected the most 

 brilliant colours of the rainbow, extended even 

 to the midst of the heavens. There was a great 

 crowd in the public square. This phenomenon, 

 the earthquake, the clap of thunder which had 

 accompanied it, the red vapour seen during so 

 many days, all was regarded as the effect of 

 the eclipse. 



About nine in the evening there was a third 

 shock, much slighter than the former two, 

 but attended evidently with a subterraneous 

 noise. The barometer was a little lower than 



