Will-o'-the-Wisp Explained by Paine and Washington
Poet involved
What happened
In 1806, Thomas Paine, in his work 'The Cause of Yellow Fever,' and George Washington independently provided a scientific explanation for the will-o'-the-wisp, identifying it as flammable gas released from muddy sediments. This naturalistic account helped dispel the supernatural folklore surrounding marsh lights, though the phenomenon retained its poetic and mysterious allure.
Literary impact
The scientific explanation of the will-o'-the-wisp by Paine and Washington did not diminish its literary appeal; instead, it added a layer of rational mystery. Poets of the Romantic and Victorian eras continued to use the will-o'-the-wisp as a symbol of elusive truth and deceptive beauty, as seen in the works of Tennyson and the Pre-Raphaelites.
Source: Wikipedia
