Reflections on the Works of God (Volume 3); And on His Providence in the Regions of Nature, and in the Government of the Universe (Paperback)

Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1824. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... Analogous to this meteor is the draco volans, a fiery exhalation common in marshy and cold countries during the summer season. Its appearance is that of an oblong, sometimes roundish, fiery body, with a long tail, entirely harmless, for it may frequently be seen sticking to the hands, and rolling on the clothes of travellers, without doing them the least injury. The ignis Iambus, which Virgil describes as playing round the head of lulus, proceeds from an inflammable vapour foreign to the atmosphere, which serves merely as a medium for its formation. All these meteors are pure accidents; scarcely do they appear in the atmosphere ere they disengage themselves from it; and the sense of sight only can measure the moments of an existence too short to have any influence on terrestrial phenomena. The ignis fatuus is very common in Spain and Italy; and Dr. Shaw describes a very remarkable one that he saw in the Holy Land, when the atmosphere was so thick and hazy that the dew on the horses' bridles was remarkably clammy and unctuous. This meteor was sometimes globular, then like the flame of a candle; afterwards it so spread itself as to involve the whole company in a pale harmless light, and then it would contract again, and suddenly disappear; but in less than a minute again become visible, and, running along from one place to another with a swift progressive motion, would again expand itself, and cover a considerable space of ground. In the year 1693 a fiery exhalation ignited sixteen ricks of hay, and two barns filled with corn and hay in Harlech, Pembrokeshire. This meteor advanced from the sea, and lasted for a fortnight or three weeks, as a weak blue flame, easily extinguished, and perfectly harmless to the people who interposed their endeavours to save the hay. It a...