THE KING'S MIRROR 151 



curved surface which shuts out the sunlight must be 

 less prominent there. But there are still others who be- 

 lieve (and it seems to me not unlikely) that the frost 

 and the glaciers have become so powerful there that 

 they are able to radiate forth these flames. I know 

 nothing further that has been conjectured on this sub- 

 ject, only these three theories that I have presented; as 

 to their correctness I do not decide, though the last 

 mentioned looks quite plausible to me. I know of no 

 other facts about Greenland that seem worth discussing 

 or mentioning, only those that we have talked abou 

 and what we have noted as the opinions of well-informed 

 men. 



XX 



THE SUBJECT OF THE NORTHERN LIGHTS CONTINUED 



Son. Everything that you have told here seems won- 

 derful to me, though also very instructive, and this fact 

 most of all, that men, as you have pointed out, are able 

 to leave the earth, as it were, and view for themselves 

 the boundaries which God has drawn amid such great 

 perils. Your last remark, however, suggests that there 

 is yet a little matter to inquire about along this same 

 line. In speaking of those three conjectures you said 

 that you think it most likely that these lights have their 

 origin in frost and ice; but just before in describing their 

 appearance, you added that now and then fog and dark 

 mist resembling smoke would mount up among these 

 lights. But even if the cold should be so prevalent there 

 as to give rise to these lights with their fire-like rays, I 

 cannot help wondering whence that smoke can come 



