Benjamin Silliman

“ That there are many facts which cannot readily be explained by the theory of light, I shall not deny; but in the infancy of this system we may be allowed to hope that future observations may enable us to remove present difficulties. ”

“ The great absorption and emission of light in the polar regions, by the ice and snow, may cause the extraordinary illumination of that country during the absence of the sun, and the emission of the magnetic rays with electricity may, perhaps, give us the aurora borealis. ”

“ As the refraction of the atmosphere in the polar circles, is at least ten times greater than in the tropics, a greater quantity of the magnetic rays will there be separated and combined than elsewhere; and of course arises excess of magnetism. ”