on the Light emitted from various Bodies. 425 
light gradually revived, and became as brilliant as before it had 
been exposed to the cold. This experiment was frequently 
repeated, and always with the same result. 
I cannot but remark, that in the course of experiments on 
this subject, the superior power of solar over that of spontaneous 
light was very apparent. For, the first trials being made in 
small phials, containing only atmospheric air with the phos- 
phorus, the light was with some difficulty totally extinguished; 
and, after the phials were taken out of the frigorific mixture, the 
temperature of the laboratory would commonly soon revive the 
light, which rendered the experiments not altogether satisfac- 
tory. Finding it thus somewhat difficult to extinguish solar 
light in air, recourse was had to water, in the manner above 
described. This answered perfectly well; for the water, when 
frozen, gave a substantial body, as it were, to the imbibed light 
of the phosphorus, so as to enable it to retain the excess of cold 
arising from the frigorific mixture ; thereby making the expe- 
riments quite satisfactory. When the phosphorus was thus sur- 
rounded by ice, only a few minutes stay in the frigorific mixture 
would generally be sufficient for a total extinction. 
OBSERVATION. 
From these experiments, compared with those recited in my 
former Paper on spontaneous light, it appears that solar light, 
when imbibed by Canton’s phosphorus, is subject to the same 
laws, with respect to heat and cold, as the spontaneous light of 
fishes, rotten wood, and glow-worms. 
3 I 
MDCCCI. 
