in England. On days less
bright, the blue harbor spreads in strong contrast with the sheeted snow
which extends to its very brink....

The skysights of the colder regions of the United States are resplendent
in winter. I saw more of the aurora borealis, more falling stars and
other meteors, during my stay in New England than in the whole course of
my life before. Every one knows that splendid and mysterious exhibitions
have taken place in all the Novembers of the last four years, furnishing
interest and business to the astronomical world. The most remarkable
exhibitions were in the Novembers of 1833 and 1835, the last of which I
saw....

On the 17th of November in question, that of 1835, I was staying in the
house of one of the professors of Harvard University at Cambridge. The
professor and his son John came in from a lecture at nine o'clock, and
told us that it was nearly as light as day, though there was no moon.
The sky presented as yet no remarkable appearance, but the fact set
us telling stories of skysights. A venerable professor told us of a
blood-red heaven which shone down on a night of the year 1789, when an
old lady interpreted the whole French Revolution from what she saw. None
of us had any call to prophesying this night. John looked out from time
to time while we were about the piano, but our singing had come to a
conclusion before he brought us news of a very strange sky. It was now
near eleven. We put cloaks and shawls over our heads, and hurried into
the garden. It was a mild night, and about as light as with half a moon.
There was a beautiful rose-colored flush across the entire heavens, from
southeast to northwest. This was every moment brightening, contracting
in length, and dilating in breadth.

My host ran off without his hat to call the Natural History professor.
On the way he passed a gentleman who was trudging along, pondering the
ground. "A remarkable night, sir," cried my host. "Sir! how, sir?"
replied the pedestrian. "Why, look above your head!" The startled walker
ran back to the house he had left to make everybody gaze. There was some
debate about ringing the college-bell, but it was agreed that it would
cause too much alarm.

The Natural Philosophy professor came forth in curious trim, and his
household and ours joined in the road. One lady was in her nightcap,
another with a handkerchief tied over her head, while we were cowled in
cloaks. The sky was now resplendent. It was like a bl