In the neighborhood of Nice the hills are cut and seamed with remarkable gorges, among which are found deep holes known as "star wells." They are so called because of the belief that from their bottoms stars can be seen even in daylight. These abysses have been formed by the action of water. It is, often, only when looking up out of the deeps of our own humiliation that we can see the stars of hope shining in the sky.
(1846)
LIGHT, INCREASING
The light to which you come at length in
the railway tunnel, and before you reach the
end of the tunnel, is the very same light
exactly, as far as its nature is concerned,
as the light into which you come at the end
of the tunnel; and the light which shines
from the end into the tunnel increases more
and more from its first shining until you
reach the full light at the end. So the wise
man says that the path of the just is as the
shining light that shineth more and more
unto the perfect day. The light of the
perfect day is the same as the light that
shines in the path all along, and that began
to shine even ere the sun was up. The
lights are in nowise different except in degree.—Alexander
Miller, "Heaven and Hell
Here."
(1847)
LIGHT, INJURY FROM
In a moral sense it is better to face the light than to have it shine on us indirectly.
Do not make the mistake of supposing
that brilliant lights are harmless except when
looked at directly. As a matter of fact they
are even more dangerous when so placed as
to shine into the eyes sidewise or from
above, since the eye is less accustomed to
receive bright light from such directions.
In other words, light from such direction
falls upon the outer parts of the surface of
the retina, which, being less accustomed to
receive bright light, are the more quickly
injured by it. Cases are on record where
persons working in the vicinity of bare
lamps so placed have entirely lost the sight
of one or both eyes.—The Illuminating Engineer.
(1848)
LIGHT OF THE WORLD
Among the Tsimshean Indians of Alaska
the following legend is current: "At first it
was entirely dark. There was no light in
the world. The people could see nothing,
but were groping around in a continual
night. Then the son of the heavenly chief
came down to earth, and the people complained
to him that it was so dark. He said
he would help them, and then light came."
A faint reflection, all this, of the story
of Him who is indeed the Light of the
world. (Text.)
(1849)
LIGHT PREVENTING CRIME
Many banks, stores, and warehouses turn
on their lights at night, and leave their
window-shutters wide open so that the entire
interior may be seen by the policemen or
watchman on the beat. This makes it possible
to detect any change inside, or the presence
of any one who might be bent on
robbing. (Text.)
(1850)
LIGHT, SAFETY IN
"Let your light shine." Do not go to
places where your light will not shine. Sam
P. Jones says: "Some years ago my father
had two Irishmen digging a well for him.
They went off on a drinking spree, after
they had gotten the well about three-fourths
done. They returned to finish up, but long
experience and observation had taught them
that what is known as 'fire-damp' or
poisonous gases, sometimes accumulates in
the bottom of a well. They came to the
house and asked my mother for a bucket
and a candle. They set the candle in the
bottom of the bucket and lowered it slowly
into the well, and the candle went out. Pat
said, 'Ah, Jamie, there is death in that hole.'
They got some pine brush, tied a rope to
them and swished the well out with them.
They again lowered the candle and it burned
brightly clear to the bottom. And the Irishman
said, 'The candle burns bright; she's
safe now.'"—"Famous Stories of Sam P.
Jones."
(1851)
LIGHT, SOURCE OF
Light can not be seen. At great heights
reached by aeronauts the heavens seem black,
and the stars come out and twinkle against
a background of jet. Yet this unfathomed
deep of darkness is light and nothing but
light. Whatever object the light falls upon
shines; every object that produces it shines;
but the light itself is not seen.
God is light. No man hath seen him
at any time, but there is no glory that
does not come from Him. No light
shines on earth that did not come from
