liO 
fO SUBTEllRANEOOS WONDERS. ^ 
slow combustion of pliosphorus took pkce, w^h 
a MUW vs J. , 
*ame resplendence as in the atmospheric air. Ui? 
present occa-sion, his first experiment, in the 
Affnano, was made with common phosphoric matcne » 
of which he broke, holding them to the ground, and^^ , 
sequently immersed in the mephitis. They produc 
slrort and transient flame, which became extlnguisbe J|^,, 
moment it was communicated to the wick of a cai 
His second experiment was as follows •. — He placed 
ground, within the grotto, a long table, in such a 
as that one extremity was without the mephitis, win' ||. 
other, and four-fifths of its length, were immersed 
U\UCl, iUAki it-'tai — e> — » vlnl^- 
Along this table he laid a train of gunpowder, begn < 
®. , ..1 , .1 _ 1 «4- rt^hel 
XViuiig ijiia ittviv ii— V. -- o r - V.” r 
from the end without the mephitis ; and, at the ow®* j,!* 
which was immersed in it to the depth of seven • 
he placed, adjoining to the gunpowder, a cylinder ot O 
in lonn-th Tlip <mnnowder. 
phoi'us," e'ight lines in length.* The gunpowder, 
the mephitis, being fired, the combustion was soon ^ 
me niepiim»> xaiw, v 
munlcated to the other extremity of the tram, anci 
mumcaieu Lu uic uuici v* , .y 
phosphorus, which took fire with decrepitation, burn 
pidly with a bright flame, slightly coloured with yeln’^^.o^ 
pidiy wun a urigiit iidiiic, bugiu-ijf **tt.** j 
green, and left on the wood a black mark, as or 
The combustion lasted nearly two minutes, when the 
phosphoric matter was consumed. ^ 
In succeeding experiments not any alteration " 
eeptible in the flame, or manner of burning, of the ‘ 
phosphorus, either at the moment of its entrance in^^jiif 
mephitis, or during its continuance m it. When 
withdrawn, it ignited gunpowder equally well. 
the Abbe deduces, tiiat the mephitic ps 
del Cane, however it may be utterly uiifit for 
spiration of anmials, and for the inflammation of ^ uo<^. 
combustible substances, readily allows that of P 
which not only burns in it, but emits, as usua 
