Hello Lister
Speaking of meteorites falling I was searching the intern art and found this
great website that offers over 100,000 books on the web for free and I decided
to type in word Meteorites and I got back a book written by Edward King on
REMARKS CONCERNING STONES SAID TO HAVE FALLEN FROM THE CLOUDS, BOTH IN THESE
DAYS,AND IN ANTIENT TIMES. I finished reading the first publication written
about meteorite written in English and I have to say its an easy fast read. I
did learn new ideas and terms that were used in the 1700's to describe these
events that took place across Europe. If you haven't read this manuscript
before, please take sometime to do so. Down below are some section taken from
the 1796 publication about meteorites.
REMARKS
CONCERNING
STONES
SAID TO HAVE FALLEN FROM THE CLOUDS, BOTH
IN THESE DAYS,
AND IN ANTIENT TIMES.
BY
EDWARD KING, ESQ. F. R. S. AND F. A. S.
Having received this last winter, from Sir Charles Blagden,[3] some very
curious manuscript accounts, concerning a surprising shower of stones; which is
said, on the testimony of several persons, to have fallen in Tuscany, on the
16th of June, 1794;—and having also perused, with much attention, a very
interesting pamphlet, written in Italian, by Abbate Ambrose Soldani, Professor
of mathematics, in the University of Siena, containing an extraordinary and
full detail of such facts as could be collected relating to this shower; the
whole has appeared to me to afford such an ample field for philosophical
contemplation, and also for the illustration of antient historic facts; that
(leaving the whole to rest upon such testimony as the learned Professor has
already collected together; and to be supported by such further corroboration,
as I am informed is likely soon to arrive in England,) I cannot but think it
doing some service to the cause of literature,
and science, to give to the world, in the earliest instance, a short[4]
abridgement of the substance of the whole of the information; expressed in the
most concise and plainest language, in which it is possible for me to convey a
full and exact idea of the phænomenon.
It may be of some use, and afford satisfaction to several curious persons, to
find the whole here compressed in so small a compass.
And, as I shall add my own conclusions without reserve; because the whole of
the phænomenon tends greatly to confirm some ideas which I had previously been
led to form, many years ago, concerning the consolidation of certain species of
stone; it may open a door for further curious investigation.
And it may at least amuse, if not instruct; whilst I add a short detail of
uncommon facts, recorded in antient history, and tending to shew clearly, that
we are not without precedents of similar events having happened, in the early
ages of antiquity.
On the 16th of June, 1794, a tremendous cloud was seen in Tuscany, near Siena,
and Radacofani; coming from the north, about seven o'clock in the
evening;—sending forth sparks, like rockets;—throwing out smoke like a
furnace;—rendering violent explosions, and blasts, more like those of cannon,
and of numerous muskets, than like thunder;—and casting down to the ground hot
stones:—whilst the lightning that issued from the cloud was remarkably red; and
moved with less velocity than usual.
The cloud appeared of different shapes; to persons in different situations; and
remained suspended a long time: but every where was plainly seen to be burning,
and smoking like a furnace.[5]
And its original height, from a variety of circumstances put together, seems to
have been much above the common region of the clouds.
The testimony, concerning the falling of the stones from it, appears to be
almost unquestionable:—and is, evidently, from different persons, who had no
communication with each other.
For first; the fall of four stones is precisely ascertained: one of which was
of an irregular figure, with a point like that of a diamond;—weighed five
pounds and an half;—and had a vitriolic smell.—And another weighed three pounds
and an half;—was black on the outside, as if from smoke;—and, internally,
seemed composed of matter of the colour of ashes;—in which were perceived small
spots of metals, of gold and silver.
And, besides these, Professor Soldani of Siena, was shewn about fifteen others:
the surfaces of which were glazed black, like a sort of varnish;—resisted
acids;—and were too hard to be scratched with the point of a penknife.
Signior Andrew Montauli, who saw the cloud, as he was travelling, described it
as appearing much above the common region of the clouds; and as being clearly
discerned to be on fire;—and becoming white, by degrees; not only where it had
a communication, by a sort of stream of smoke and lightning, with a
neighbouring similar cloud: but also, at last, in two-third parts of its whole
mass, which was originally black. And yet he took notice, that it was not
affected by the rays of the sun, though they shone full on its lower parts.—And
he could discern as it were the bason of a fiery furnace, in the cloud, having
a whirling motion.
This curious observer gives an account also, of a stone,[6] which he was
assured fell from the cloud, at the feet of a farmer; and was dug out of the
ground, into which it had penetrated.—And he says, that it was about five
inches long, and four broad; nearly square; and polished: black on the surface,
as if smoked; but within, like a sort of sand-stone, with various small
particles of iron, and bright metallic stars.
Other stones are described by him; which were said to have fallen at the same
time: were triangular; and terminated in a sort of (pyramidal) or conical
figure.—And others were so small as to weigh not more than an ounce.
***
He mentions also shortly another shower of stones,[V] A. C. 202, and still a
third,[W] which must have happened about the year 194 before the Christian æra.
Such are the records of antient history. And in Holy Writ also a remembrance of
similar events is preserved.
For when the royal Psalmist says,[X] "The Lord also thundered out of heaven,
and the Highest gave his thunder: hail-stones, and coals of fire,"—the latter
expression, in consistency with common sense, and conformably to the right
meaning of language, cannot but allude to some such phænomenon as we have been
describing. And especially, as in the cautious translation of the seventy, a
Greek word is used, which decidedly means real hard substances made red hot;
and not mere appearances of fire or flame.
Whilst therefore, with the same sacred writer,[Y] we should be led to consider
all these powerful operations, as the works [18]of God; Who casteth forth his
ice like morsels;[Z] and should be led to consider "fire and hail, snow and
vapours, wind and storm as fulfilling his word;"[AA] we should also be led to
perceive, that the objections to Holy Writ, founded on a supposed impossibility
of the truth of what is written in the book of Joshua,[BB] concerning the
stones that fell from heaven, on the army of the Canaanites; are only founded
in ignorance, and error.
And much more should we be led to do so; when, to these observations, and
testimonies, concerning showers of hot burning stones, is added the
consideration; that within the short period of our own lives, incredibly large
real hail-stones, formed of consolidated ice;—of ice consolidated in the
atmosphere, have fallen both in France, and in England.
In France, on the 13th of July in the year 1788;—of which it is well known
there has been a printed account: and concerning which it is said, and has been
confirmed, on good authority, that some of the stones weighed three pounds:
whilst others have been said to weigh even five pounds.
And in England, on the 20th of October, 1791, in Cornwall.
Of one of the hail-stones of this latter, minor storm, I have had an
opportunity of obtaining, by the favour of a friend, an exact model in glass;
whereof I now add an engraving.
This stone fell, with thousands of others of the same kind, near Menabilly, the
seat of Philip Rashleigh, Esq.; well known for his science, and attention to
whatever is curious; who having great copper works, and many ingenious miners,
and workmen, on his estate, and directly under his eye; caused it to [19]be
instantly picked up: and having then, himself, first traced both its top, and
bottom, upon paper; and having measured its thickness in every part, with a
pair of compasses; caused a very exact mould to be formed: and afterwards, in
that mould, had this model cast in glass: wherein, also, the appearances of the
imbedded, common, small, roundish hail-stones, are seen transparently; just as
they appeared in the great hail-stone itself originally.
Here is the link to read the whole manuscript
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/29281/29281-h/29281-h.htm
Shawn Alan
IMCA 1633
eBaystore
http://shop.ebay.com/photophlow/m.html
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