The glittering of sea water at night is always beheld with wonder; and the Lagunes of Chioggia, in Italy, exhibit that phenomenon in a particular manner.  At first sight, the fixed stars seem to reflect their coruscating images in it; and, if the water be agitated by the winds, oars, etc., the emissions will be more brilliant and numerous, especially in those parts where the sea weeds most abound.  This delightful phenomenon, which continues from the beginning of summer to autumn, filled me with admiration, and excited an impatient curiosity to discover, if possible, the cause of it.

Accordingly in a Summer’s night, I went to the place, and brought home a large vessel full of sea water, and, placing it in a dark part of my closet, I observed, that, by agitating it with my hands, it glittered very copiously.  But, after filtering it with a very close piece of linen, all the motions and agitations that I could give it did not produce the least appearance of light.  But this was compensated by the beautiful appearance of the linen, which was covered with an infinite number of lucid particles, which sufficiently proved that these luminous corpuscles were entirely distinct from the water.  

It has been the opinion of several very learned persons, that the nocturnal glittering of sea-water proceeds from some electrical matter.  The surface of the sea, say they, having been exposed all the Summer to the scorching rays of the sun, towards Autumn is observed, when agitated, to emit very copiously lucid sparks, exactly resembling those which issue from electrified bodies.  Now, it appears from ocular proof, that this delightful phenomenon owes it’s origin to lucid animalcules.  But, whether the lustre of these animalcules do or do not proceed from an electrical matter, excited by vibration, or any other internal cause, I shall leave to the determination of the learned.
  
Adapted from:
The Gentleman’s Magazine and Historical Chronicle
January - June, 1816
Volume LXXXVI supplement: pages 606-608