Among the curious laws of modern science are those which regulate the
transmission of radiant heat through transparent bodies. The heat of
our fires is intercepted and detained by screens of glass, and, being
so detained, warms them; while solar heat passes freely through and
produces no such effect. “The more recent researches of Delaroche,”
says Sir John Herschel, “however, have shown that this detention is
complete only when the temperature of the source of heat is low; but
that as the temperature gets higher a portion of the heat radiated
acquires a power of penetrating glass, and that the quantity which does
so bears continually a larger and larger proportion to the whole, as
the heat of the radiant body is more intense. This discovery is very
important, as it establishes a community of nature between solar and
terrestrial heat; while at the same time it leads us to regard the
actual temperature of the sun as far exceeding that of any earthly
flame.”