1689—A remarkable Comet observed all over Europe, followed by war all over Europe. Wars between France, Germany, England, Spain and Italy. The Rhine lands were harried by the French with fire and sword, rendering 4,000,000 people homeless. Burning of the castle of Heidelberg by the French. Religious war in Ireland and Scotland. Siege of Londonderry and Dundee. Battle of Newton Butler in Ireland. 1729—War between France, England and Spain. _Frederick the Great’s Star._ 1744—A six-tailed Comet observed in Germany just before the death of Emperor Charles VII. His death followed by war between Frederick the Great and Maria Teresa of Austria. War spreads to England, Holland, France, Spain and Italy. A British fleet beaten by French and Spaniards off Toulon. 1755—A Comet precedes earthquake of Lisbon, by which 40,000 people lost their lives. 1759—Halley’s Comet. Seven Years’ War in Germany. Frederick the Great overthrown in four bloody battles. French lose Canada by their disastrous defeat of the plains of Abraham, and lose India by the loss of their fleet through three successive defeats on the sea. _Napoleon’s Star._ 1769—“Napoleon’s Comet.” A Comet of unusual red lustre was observed over Italy and France. French overrun Corsica. Bloody massacre of Corsicans. Birth of Napoleon on August 15 in Corsica, just after the Comet was seen no more. 1811-12—This huge Comet was one of the most famous Comets of modern times. It was first seen in France on March 26, 1811, and was last observed over southern Russia on August 17, 1812—an appearance of seventeen months, the longest on record. For a while it had two tails, then only one. The length of this tail was estimated as 100,000,000 miles. It was called “Napoleon’s Comet.” Under its lustre Napoleon gathered his “grand armée,” the greatest army assembled in Europe since Xerxes, and invaded Russia. Wars were fought at the same time in Portugal and Spain, where the British stormed Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajos; and in America, where Harrison’s victory over the Indians under Tecumseh at Tippecanoe, and the seafight between the “President” and “Little Belt” ushered in the War of 1812. In Egypt the Comet was taken as an omen of the bloody massacre of the Mamelukes perpetrated at Cairo. [Illustration: THE GREAT COMET OF 1811.] 1821—“Napoleon’s Comet.” Seen one night only over France and over St. Helena the night before the death of Napoleon at St. Helena.