FOOTNOTES:
[1] The experiments in this Essay appear to have been suggested, by those of Mariotte, Le Cat, and Bernoulli.
[2] Zoonomia, Sect. xi. 2.
[3] Sect. xi. 8.
[4] Voyage d’Islande, in the Ambigu.
[5] I subjoin the original account, as it will amuse the reader.
“In the course of my repeated tours through the Harz,[6] I ascended the Broken twelve times; but I had the good fortune only twice, (both times about Whitsuntide) to see that atmospheric phenomenon, called the Spectre of the Broken, which appears to me worthy of particular attention, as it must, no doubt, be observed on other high mountains, which have a situation favorable for producing it. The first time I was deceived by this extraordinary phenomenon, I had clambered up to the summit of the Broken very early in the morning, in order to wait for the inexpressibly beautiful view of the sun rising in the east. The heavens were already streaked with red; the sun was just appearing above the horizon in full majesty, and the most perfect serenity prevailed throughout the surrounding country, when the other Harz mountains in the south west, towards the Worm mountains, &c. lying under the Broken began to be covered by thick clouds. Ascending at that moment the granite rocks called the Tempelskanzel, there appeared before me, though at a great distance, towards the Worm mountains and the Achtermannshöhe, the gigantic figure of a man, as if standing on a large pedestal. But scarcely had I discovered it when it began to disappear, the clouds sunk down speedily and expanded, and I saw the phenomenon no more. The second time, however, I saw this spectre somewhat more distinctly, a little below the summit of the Broken, and near the Heinnichshohe, as I was looking at the sun rising, about four o’clock in the morning. The weather was rather tempestuous; the sky towards the level country was pretty clear, but the Harz mountains had attracted several thick clouds, which had been hovering round them, and which beginning on the Broken confined the prospect. In these clouds, soon after the rising of the sun, I saw my own shadow, of a monstrous size, move itself for a couple of seconds in clouds, and the phenomenon disappeared. It is impossible to see this phenomenon, except when the sun is at such an altitude as to throw his rays upon the body in a horizontal direction; for, if he is higher, the shadow is thrown rather under the body than before it. In the month of September last year, as I was making a tour through the Harz with a very agreeable party, and ascended the Broken, I found an excellent account, and explanation of this phenomenon, as seen by M. Haue on the 23rd of May 1797, in his diary of an excursion to that mountain. I shall therefore take the liberty of transcribing it.
“After having been here for the thirtieth time,” says M. Haue, “and, besides other objects of my attention, having procured information respecting the above-mentioned atmospheric phenomenon, I was at length so fortunate as to have the pleasure of seeing it; and perhaps my description may afford satisfaction to others who visit the Broken through curiosity. The sun rose about four o’clock, and the atmosphere being quite serene towards the east, his rays could pass without any obstruction over the Heinnichshohe. In the south west, however, towards the Achtermannshöhe, a brisk west wind carried before it their transparent vapours, which were not yet condensed into thick heavy clouds. About a quarter past four I went towards the inn, and looked round to see whether the atmosphere would permit me to have a free prospect to the south west; when I observed, at a very great distance towards the Achtermannshöhe, a human figure of a monstrous size. A violent gust of wind having almost carried away my hat, I clapped my hand to it by moving my arm towards my head, and the colossal figure did the same. The pleasure which I felt on this discovery can hardly be described; for I had already walked many a weary step in the hope of seeing this shadowy image without being able to satisfy my curiosity. I immediately made another movement by bending my body, and the colossal figure before me repeated it. I was desirous of doing the same thing once more, but my colossus had vanished. I remained in the same position, waiting to see whether it would return, and in a few minutes it again made its appearance in the Achtermannshöhe. I paid my respects to it a second time and it did the same to me. I then called the landlord of the Broken; and having both taken the same position which I had taken alone, we looked toward the Achtermannshöhe, but saw nothing. We had not, however, stood long, when two such colossal figures were formed over the above eminence, which repeated our compliment by bending their bodies as we did; after which they vanished. We retained our position; kept our eyes fixed upon the same spot, and in a little the two figures again stood before us, and were joined by a third. Every movement that we made by bending our bodies, these figures imitated—but with this difference, that the phenomenon was sometimes weak and faint, sometimes strong and well defined. Having thus had an opportunity of discovering the whole secret of this phenomenon, I can give the following information to such of my readers as may be desirous of seeing it themselves. When the rising sun, and according to analogy the case will be the same at the setting sun, throws his rays over the Broken upon the body of a man standing opposite to fine light clouds floating around, or hovering past him, he needs only fix his eye steadfastly upon them, and in all probability, he will see the singular spectacle of his own shadow extending to the length of five or six hundred feet, at the distance of about two miles before him. This is one of the most agreeable phenomena, I ever had an opportunity of remarking on the great observations of Germany. Philosophical Magazine, vol. i. page 232.
[6] The Harz mountains are situated in Hanover.
[7] Lib. i. p. 76, 77. Nam aut in vultu fœditas est, ac turpitudo, aut uncis, hamisque, quales obscænis vulturibus insunt manus pedesve depravatos habent, aut denique insolita, atque insigni aliqua nota quæ naturæ immanitatem prodant, conspicuos se ostendunt. Joannes Piscator, Henaezel; Salome, Catharina Balandræa, Nicolæa Ganatia, Sennel Armentaria, et Joanna Gerardina, retulerunt se & sæpe, et otiosé, atque attenté considerasse suos Magistellos, cum præsentes colloquerentur; observasseque semper illis obscuras atrasque fuisse facies: ac (quod Jornandes dicit de Hunnis, quos Demonibus incubis satos ferunt) offæ similes: lumina penitus abdita, flammæ tamen instar micantia: Oris rictus sparsos, profundos, ac perpetuó olidi, sulphureique aliquid æstuantes: manus strigosas, et villis atque hamis deformes: pedes corneos bifidosque: staturam nunquam justam, sed aut brevitate aut vastitate semper aliqua insolentem, totamque adeo Seriem extra modum.
Addit Alexia Belhoria, illum se aliquando vidisse capite, vel pede altero truncum, mutilumque, cum forté saltationes nocturnas uná cum suis agitaret. Quæ res me in memoriam inducit ejus rumoris, qui me puero circumferebatur de Empusis, quarum frequentes de nocte choreæ in triviis tum videri ferebantur (la Mequie Hennequin) id est, familiam Hellequinam vocitabant: nam Hellequinos ab incubis Dæmonibus suam traxisse originem non ignobiles Scriptores prodiderunt.
Nicolæa Ganatia, Eva Hesoletia, Jana Nigra Armacuriana, ac pleræque aliæ vocem illis esse aiunt, qualem emittunt, qui os in dolium, aut testam rimosam, insertum habent.... Aut certé exilem et debilem, p. 80.
In the 6th chapter, Remy has indulged his curiosity in a most extraordinary, and almost reprehensible manner.
Ab hoc qui nobis istos concubitus, succubitusque Dæmonum memorant uno ore loquuntur omnes, nihil iis frigidius &c. The other details are too shocking to be repeated, p. 55.
[8] Cardanus de vita propria, cap. 37.
[9] Drummond’s Works, p. 224.
[10] Beaumont’s Treatise, p. 91, 4.
[11] Die 13 Septembris amb. illi Juvenes ad me redierunt, dicentes: Ne metue, sed rei quæ Tibi exhibebitur, attende! 2. Et conspexi ante me subito circulum quandam, magni solis instar, rubrum, ac velut sanguineum: in quo lineæ fuerunt, seu maculæ, albæ & nigræ, tanta mixtura se invicem variantes, ut jam nigrarum, jam albarum major cerneretur numerus: duravitque spectaculum istud per justum spatium. 3. Et cum ad me dixissent Aspice! Attende! nihil metue! nihil tibi accidet mali! 4. Ecce fulmen tribus vicibus exigui temporis intervallis sibi succedentibus intonuit, tam horrendé et terribilé, ut totus obrigescerem. 5. Circulus autem ille stabat porro coram me, maculæque albæ á nigris disjungebant sese: et circulus accessit tám propé mihi, ut manu tangere potuissem. 6. Fuit autem tam speciosus, ut toto vitæ tempore amænioris rei speciem nullam viderim: et maculæ albæ adeò candidæ ác jucundæ, ut admirationis modum nón invenerim. 7. Sed aliæ illæ maculæ à nube quadam horribilitér caliginosâ ablatæ sunt: in quâ nube tristem audivi ejulatum, etsi viderem neminem. 8. Verba tamén ejulatûs et lamentorum fuerant, bené perceptibilia, hæc; væ nobis qui nos caliginosæ nubi permisimus abstrahi à rotundo Divinæ gratiæ sanguine rubente circulo, quô nos Dei gratia in Christo dilectissimo filio suo comprehensos concluserat.
Lux é Tenebris, p. 119.
[12] Jortin’s Rem. on Ecclesiast. Hist. App. to vol. I.
[13] Eighth Relation, p. 202.
[14] De Miraculis Mortuorum.
[15] Wepfer. Histor. Apoplectic. p. 459.
[16] Garmann de Cadaverum Mumiis. Lib. iii. Tit. ii. p. 1042, 3.
[17] On Genius.
[18] De Apparitionibus mortuorum, Vivis ex Pacto factis. Lips. 1709.
[19] Baronii Annales.—This story was told to Baronius, by the grandson of Mercato, who was Proto-notary of the church, and a man of the greatest probity, as well as of general knowledge.
[20] De vita propria, cap. 38.
[21] Cap. 37.
[22] Polyhistor. Literar. Lib. i. Cap. 19. 9. Tom i. p. 217.
[23] There are beauties, in the character of Don Quixote, which can only be understood by persons accustomed to lunatics. The dexterity and readiness with which he reconciles all events with the wayward system which he has adopted: his obstinacy in retaining and defending false impressions, and the lights of natural sagacity, and cultivated eloquence, which break frequently through the cloud that dims his understanding, are managed with consummate knowledge of partial insanity, though it is sometimes hardly perceptible to the general reader.
[24] Memoirs de Trevoux, T. viii.—1726.
[25] Hist. of the Irish Rebellion, by Sir John Temple, Kt.—p. 123.
[26] Mem. de Sully, Liv. i.
[27] Clarke’s Life of Nelson, vol. II.
[28] Second Part of Clarke’s “Travels in various parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa.” Page 268.
FINIS.
PRINTED BY J. AND J. HADDOCK, WARRINGTON.