John Williams

“ The undulations which produce the phenomenon of blue light are supposed to be smaller and more rapid than those which give rise to the phenomenon of yellow light. The undulations from which yellow light results, are again quicker and more limited in their range of motion than those from which red light results; while those which give rise to heat are less frequent, and traverse a wider space than do any of the undulations on which the colored rays depend. ”

“ When we speak of darkness as being profound, we present the idea of local depth, as that of a fathomless pit.
When we speak of darkness as being thick, or gross, we represent it as a dark-colored fluid of great density. ”

“ Darkness seems to be of a black color. The reason of this is, that, according to the theory of colors, blackness is owing to the non-reflection of light from the surfaces of bodies; and consequently, where no light exists to be reflected, nothing but seeming blackness can meet the eye. ”

“ That some shooting stars are solid, is known from the fact, that they sometimes burst in the atmosphere with a loud explosion, when either a portion or the whole of the meteor falls to the earth in the form of a shower of stones, called meteoric stones.
At other times, a shooting star or fireball consists of a body of light, vapory matter precipitated from the regions of space into the atmosphere, where it is ignited by friction, and is consumed or dissipated before it can reach the ground. ”

“ Light, in a figurative sense, is the information which enables us to apprehend the true nature and relations of things.
Note 1.—There are two theories in regard to the nature of light. The one theory supposes light to be a material fluid, emanating in minute particles from luminous bodies. According to the other theory, the sensation of light is produced by the undulations of a subtle ether acting on the organs of sight, in a manner analogous to that in which the undulations of the air, acting on the organs of hearing, produce the sensation of sound. ”

“ Radiant caloric is a modification of free caloric, and is subject to the same laws that regulate the radiation and reflection of light.
Those who hold the second theory suppose that heat is closely allied to light, and that the rays of heat differ from the luminous rays of any particular color, in the same way that the differently colored rays differ among themselves. Heat and light, they say, depend on undulations in the same elastic ether. ”

“ Temperature is the condition of a substance in relation to sensible heat.
Note.—When the temperature of a substance is higher than that of my body, it feels warm, because, on touching it, more heat passes from the substance to my body, than what passes from my body to the substance. On the contrary, when the temperature of a substance is lower than that of my body, it feels cold, because, on touching the substance, my body parts with more heat than it receives. ”

“ The light of the sun is naturally white; but by means of a piece of glass in the form of a triangular prism, the white light of the sun can be decomposed into seven different kinds of colored rays; namely, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. These, according to Newton, are the primary colors, and all other colors and shades of color may be produced by combining these primary colors in due proportions. ”

“ Verdure is the greenness of the fields and forests during the summer season.
Pale, when applied as an epithet to any particular color, denotes a deficiency in the degree or intensity of the color; as, a pale red, a pale blue.
Pale, when applied to the countenance, denotes an absence of the freshness which is indicative of ordinary health.
Note.—Paleness depends upon a deficiency in the amount of blood circulating in the small vessels of the skin. Protracted paleness is caused by ill health. A temporary paleness may be induced by a sudden emotion of fear. ”

“ An Aurora or Polar Light, is a luminous appearance of the sky at night, commonly seen in the direction of the pole that is nearest to the observer, and resembling the illumination of the east which precedes the rising of the sun. ”

“ A Beam is a body of parallel rays.
A Pencil is a body of rays that either converge or diverge.
A Focus is the common point to which rays converge, or from which they diverge.
A Rainbow is an arch of variously colored light, formed by the action of falling drops of rain upon the sun's rays.
A Halo is a luminous circle which sometimes surrounds the sun or the moon.
Note.—The halo is supposed to be caused by the action of small crystals of frozen vapor upon the rays of the sun or moon. ”

“ A Cinder is a portion of some animal or vegetable substance reduced, by burning, to the form of a coal. A piece of meat may be burned to a cinder.
Cinis [cineris] , ashes. (L.) Hence,
Cineritious, resembling ashes in color; as, the cineritious substance of the brain.
Incinerate, to burn to ashes.
Sparks are small particles of ignited matter emitted from bodies in combustion.
Scintilla, a spark. (L.) Hence,
Scintillate, to emit sparks.
3. Of the action of Heat on Solids where the effect differs from, or falls short of Combustion. To Bake is to subject a moist substance to a dry heat. ”

“ Note 2.—Caloric, or the principle of heat, is the cause of fluidity. Were it not for this principle, all substances—even air—could exist only as solids. It is supposed that a due degree of heat would convert the most refractory solids into liquids, and that under some higher temperature these liquids would be changed into gases.
Note 3.—The sources of heat are the sun, chemical action, and mechanical force.
1. When light proceeds directly from the sun, the rays of light are combined with those of heat; but when solar light is reflected from the moon, it contains no appreciable heat. ”

“ Whenever substances combine with each other under the influence of chemical affinity, heat is evolved, but not always in such a degree as to affect the thermometer to any appreciable extent; but if substances combine rapidly and with great energy, the heat generated is sometimes very intense, as when water combines with fresh-burned lime. ”

“ Jet is a variety of lignite, that is, of fossil wood, which having been buried for thousands of years in the earth, has been converted into coal.
Jet is exceedingly black, and breaks with a glossy fracture. ”

“ Egyptian darkness is a figurative expression, denoting the utter absence of moral illumination among a people. The allusion is to the darkness which, in the time of Moses, covered the land of Egypt for the space of three days. ”

“ Erubescence, a redness of the skin or surface of any thing, resembling the redness caused by blushing.
Carnation is a flesh color. A certain species of pink is, from its color, called the carnation. (L. caro [carnis] , flesh.)
Vermilion is a bright red paint. Hence the term vermilion is employed to signify any beautiful red color. We speak of the vermilion of a maiden's lips.
Carmine is a paint of a beautiful red color bordering on purple.
A Blush is a temporary redness of the face caused by a sense of shame or abashment. ”

“ Ardor, a high degree of heat; as, the ardor of the sun's rays. Fig., Great warmth of the commendable affections and passions; as, the ardor of love; to pursue one's studies with ardor.
Arson, the crime of house-burning.
To Set on Fire is to apply fire to any combustible mass or substance, and cause combustion to begin.
To Kindle is to cause combustion to begin and get under way by nursing the incipient flame.
Fuel is any substance that serves as an aliment (or food) for fire. (Fr., feu, fire.)
Tinder is scorched lint used to catch a spark in kindling. ”

“ Combustion, the particular kind of burning which such substances as wood, coal, and oil undergo when subjected to action of fire.
Combustible, any substance that may be burned after the manner of wood, etc.
A Flame consists of burning vapor.
To Inflame is, 1. To cause to burn with a flame. 2. To cause heat and redness in any part of an animal body. ”

“ Shade:
⁠Men, sweltering, run To grots and caves, and the cool umbrage seek Of woven arborets.—Philips.
2. Shadow or appearance. The opinion carries no show of truth nor umbrage of reason on its side.—Woodward.
3. Offense taken at a procedure which we suspect as being designed to operate to our disadvantage.
Note 1.—Until the suspicion becomes a certainty, it is a mere umbra or shade.
Note 2.—Another explanation of the figure implied in the use of the word umbrage, in the sense of offense, is, that the cause of the offense casts a shadow over the mind of the offended party. ”

“ A third class of fireballs have their origin in the atmosphere, and are either electrical, or consist of collections of phosphorescent matter.
The Will-o'-the-Wisp, Will-with-a-Wisp or Will-a-Wisp, is a luminous vapor seen at night in marshes and graveyards.
Note.—This meteor consists of phosphorescent matter evolved from decaying animal and vegetable substances. ”

“ Spangles of frost sparkle in the sunlight.
A Spangle is, 1. A small plate or boss of shining metal. 2. Any little thing that is very bright and sparkling.
To Spangle, or to Bespangle, is to adorn with spangles. ”

“ A Match is, 1. A small bit of pine wood with one end dipped in some chemical preparation that is easily ignited by friction. These are called friction matches. They have likewise been called lucifer matches. ”