fifty pages with the narratives of the different observers, many of them skilful and well-practised astronomers. All agreed as to the principal details, and, as will be seen by figs. 58-63, there was a very satisfactory agreement in the pictures taken by different observers. It would appear that no doubt could any longer remain that the prominences were solar appendages of some sort. They had been visibly traversed by the Moon, according to the unexceptionable evidence of such astronomers as Airy, Hind, Dawes, and others. They had continued visible when our atmosphere had already begun to be lighted up by the direct rays of the returning Sun. At stations far apart they had presented the same appearance. It would seem therefore that nothing was wanting to establish their real relation to the solar orb, and that no question should any longer have existed as to the fact that the prominences are true solar appendages, since the proofs were so complete that they belonged neither to the Moon nor to our own atmosphere, and, further, that they were not mere optical illusions.

Yet, in the face of all this evidence, some astronomers were still found who maintained that the observations were insufficient to establish the existence of coloured objects so enormous as these must be if they really were solar appendages. It has always happened that in the ranks of the scientific army some have been found who refuse to credit the marvels which observation is continually revealing on every hand. Despite all the known wonders of the universe, the mere

circumstance that the sole available interpretation of observed facts involves some surprising conclusion, is held by such men to be a sufficient reason for rejecting the observations of the most trustworthy astronomers.*

So it was in this instance. For nine long years astronomy was compelled to wait before she could be allowed to take possession of her well-won new territory. The amazing fact had been proved beyond all possibility of reasonable question that the great globe of

* One is almost ready to despair of the cause of scientific progressto despair at least that that progress will ever be so rapid as it might readily become when one finds that each new result must be established over and over again before it is admitted by a large proportion of the scientific world. It may be remarked, indeed, that the progress of science has been at least as seriously checked by undue caution as by undue boldness. It would seem almost as though some students of science were continually in dread lest the work of our observers should become too productive. The value of scientific observation seems to be enhanced in their eyes precisely in proportion as its fruits are insignificant. In all ages there have been those who would thus unwisely restrain the progress of legitimate inquiry. We must not admit that Jupiter has moons,' they said of old; the Evil One may have sent these appearances to deceive us. Let us wait for further observation.' 'The Sun cannot have spots,' they reasoned again, for the Eye of the Universe cannot suffer from ophthalmia. These things are illusions; let us wait for more satisfactory observations.' The idea that the Sun-spots wax and wane in a definite period is too fanciful for acceptance; and still more absurd is the conception that terrestrial magnetism can have any relations whatever with the progress of solar disturbance. We must wait for fresh researches.' 'Who can believe that flames, or clouds, or mountains, many times exceeding the Earth in magnitude, exist upon or close by the Sun? These things must needs be illusions; at any rate, fresh observations are required before such marvels can be admitted.' And as this has happened with facts now accepted, so it is happening, and so (it is feared) it will always happen, as respects many other facts which have been in truth demonstrated, but the demonstration of which does not chance to lie exactly on the surface,

the Sun is surrounded by a deep layer of coloured matter, while from portions of this vast envelope enormous protuberances start out, their height so vast that ten globes such as our Earth might be piled one upon the other on the Sun's surface without attaining to the summit of the highest prominences. But this great fact was not to take its place in our treatises of astronomy until, although twice proved already, it had been proved once again at least.

Accordingly, in 1860, when a total eclipse was to be visible in Spain, preparations were made for finally resolving the problem of the prominences. A host of skilful observers devoted their powers to demonstrating what had already been abundantly demonstrated. It happened fortunately, however, that amongst the astronomers who took part in observing this important eclipse, there were some few who duly recognised the importance of the occasion, and who therefore, leaving fruitless labours to others, applied themselves to solving important questions respecting the coloured prominences. Their results I now propose to describe; but, in the first place, I will quote the account which Goldschmidt, one of the most skilful telescopists of modern times, gave of the prominences visible on this occasion. Some of the facts recorded by him are of extreme interest and importance, especially as respects the colour of the prominences, since M. Goldschmidt's practice as a painter gave him exceptional experience in this respect.

M. Goldschmidt employed a telescope of four inches

in aperture, magnifying about forty times. About half a minute before totality he could distinguish little grey clouds, isolated in part, and floating outside the solar disc at some distance from the edges. One of these isolated clouds of a rounded form, and another of an elongated form which touched the exterior edge of the Sun, were observed to be of a grey colour on the ground of the sky, which was a little brighter. An instant afterwards the pyramidical cloud became more clear, and then rose-coloured.' 'I had thus been present,' adds Goldschmidt, at the formation of a protuberance-a remark which has been somewhat misunderstood through being quoted apart from the context. Clearly, Goldschmidt did not mean that under his eyes a prominence had started into existence; but that he had been able to recognise the gradual process by which the prominence became visible with the diminishing sunlight. Several smaller prominences,' he proceeds, were seen in the neighbourhood of this one, resembling globules of mother-of-pearl, but of an irregular form. These likewise became of a rose colour immediately afterwards, but quickly disappeared. The most imposing as well as complicated of the prominences-which I will call the chandelier (fig. 64) was grand beyond description. It rose up from the limb, appearing like slender tongues of fire, and of a rose colour; its edges were purple and transparent, allowing the interior of the prominence to be seen; in fact, I could see distinctly that this prominence was hollow. Shortly before the end of the totality, I saw escape from

the extremities of these rose-coloured and transparent sheaves of light, a slight display in the shape of a fan, which gave to the protuberance a real resemblance to a chandelier. Its base, which at the commencement of the totality was noticed very decidedly on the black limb of the Moon, became slightly less attached, and the whole took an appearance more ethereal and vapourish; however, I did not lose sight of it for an instant. The jets of light which came from the extremities disappeared with the appearance of the first rays of the Sun; but it was not so with the pro

FIG. 64.

tuberance itself, for, an instant before the end of the totality, I saw several small prominences appear lying close to each other on the right of its base, and forming a square, which is the character of toothed prominences; two others of the same height were seen on the left side of its base when the Sun had already appeared. The north horn of the solar crescent touched the last of these prominences four minutes and forty seconds after the reappearance of the Sun. The intense light caused me to abandon this interesting observation, for I was not at the time using a coloured glass; however, I am certain that the chandelier' and