c >57 ) 
IV. The fame Appearance defcrib^d in a Let* 
ter to the Puhlifber^ by Dr^ Huxham, Phy* 
Jician at Plymouth. 
T HO* the Phsenomenon, call’d Aurora Borealis, 
hath been frequently feen of late Years, even 
in this Part of the World; yet, I think, we have 
hitherto had but very imperfed Conjediures on the 
Caufes of its ProducSfion. As I conceive a fafthful Hi- 
(lory of thefe Appearances will very much conduce 
to the Difcovery of their true Caufes, I do my felf 
the Honour to give you the following Account of that, 
which appeared the ?>th inftant, as we had it here at 
Plymouth, About half an hour pafl: Six, perceiving 
Jupiter Ihone very bright, I was applying my Telef- 
cope to obferve him, when on a fudden feveral lumi- 
nous Streaks appear’d about lo Degrees above the 
Horizon in the N.E.and the Hemifphere Teem’d much 
enlighten’d. Imagining this to be the beginning of a 
Lumen Boreale, I caft my Eye carefully along the Nor- 
thern Horizon from E. to W. and very nearly in the 
W. Point I perceived, as it were, a vail red fiery co- 
lour’d Obelisk lliot it felf up to the Height of 30 or 
40 Degrees, which Teem’d perpendicular to the Hori- 
zon, and its BaTe Teem’d to inTift on it. Its Point al- 
raoft touch’d the bright Star in the Northern Crown ; 
a Tmaller Column or two flood near it, of the Tame 
Colour and Shape. The Light , in the mean time, 
to the Eaflward increas’d conTiderably, and became more 
vivid; as w'hen the Moon is behind a very bright 
Cloud 
