suddenly surrounded with a corona, or kind of bright glory, similar
in shape and magnitude to that which painters draw round the heads
of saints...

Pavia contains many thousand inhabitants, the major part of whom
were at this early hour walking about the streets and squares or
looking out of windows in order to witness this long-talked-of
phenomenon; and when the total obscuration took place, which was
instantaneous, there was a universal shout from every observer
which ``made the welkin ring,'' and for the moment withdrew my
attention from the object with which I was immediately occupied. I
had, indeed, expected the appearance of a luminous circle round the
moon during the time of total obscurity; but I did not expect, from
any of the accounts of preceding eclipses that I had read, to
witness so magnificent an exhibition as that which took place...

Splendid and astonishing, however, as this remarkable phenomenon
really was, and although it could not fail to call forth the
admiration and applause of every beholder, yet I must confess that
there was at the same time something in its singular and wonderful
appearance that was appalling...

But the most remarkable circumstance attending the phenomenon was
the appearance of three large protuberances apparently emanating
from the circumference of the moon, but evidently forming a portion
of the corona. They had the appearance of mountains of a prodigious
elevation; their color was red tinged with lilac or purple; perhaps
the color of the peach-blossom would more nearly represent it. They
somewhat resembled the tops of the snowy Alpine mountains when
colored by the rising or the setting sun. They resembled the Alpine