random Shots flie about kill both Men and Beasts fire and throw down Houses split great Trees and Rocks and tear the veâ—y Earth For it is no more impossible for the more Earthy Part of an Exhalation to be on a sudden Petresied into Stone which we call the Thunder-bolâ— in the Body of a Cloud than that Laxâ— Matter should be Petrefied into a Stone in the Body of the Earth the Antiperistatical Cause being the same in both â—â—ese tâ—o Irreconcilâ—ble Enemies still keep the Field until one of them be utterly destroy'd If the fiery Exhalations keep the Field the East Wind blows still hot and sulphurous If the Vapours get the Victory the West Wind blows cold and moist the Sky is clear the Air is cold the Battel is over and the Earth Buâ—ies the Dead and gets the Spoil If any should think this Account of Thunder to be rather Figment and Romance than true Natural Philosophy I advise him when ever he sees the Thunder Packs rising White and Translucent in a South-east Point when he feels the Air hot â—nd Sulphurous with some contrary Blasts of Wind coming whistling from the West that he haste make on to the Top of Crossfelt or some other high Mountain that gives a Prospect to both East and West and he may be inform'd both as to the truth and manner of this Aerial Battle CHAP. VIII Of Vaporous Meteors and first of Dews and Hoar Frosts DEws are Vapours Condens'd upon the Surface of the Earth by the Evening and Morning Cold these being the times of the Dews falling I have observ'd that sometimes about Mid afternoon the under-ground Cold being impatient of a long Summers Days Confinement has broke out and condens'd the Vapours into a Dâ—w which by the first Reflection of the Sun was taken up into the Air and a viscous Matter left upon the Grass like Cobwebs or fine Threds which we call Tela Beatae Mariae and these Vapours being condens'd into a Cloud will fall down again in a Shower of Rain about Sun-setting But the usual time whâ—n the Evening Dews fall is immediately after the Sun is Set for then the Lower Cold lyeth upon the Ground and as the Sun goes down it riseth The Morning Dews begin to fall about break of Day For about that time the Waters being colder than the Mountains draw down the Lower Cold from the Mountains to them And it bringing the Vapours along with it sits Regent upon the Waters in thick Foggs and waterish Mists until the Influence of the Sun by warming of the Waters either scattereth and disperseth the Vapours or forceth them to rise up to the Mountains or the cool Regions of the Air leaving only Dews upon the Ground behind them These Dews when the Cold is contracted and freezing become Hoar Froâ—ts for a dilated Cold causeth Dews and a contracted Cold Frosts In the Spring Months when the Subterranean Heat draws out from its Winter Quarters to join with the external Heat of the Atmosphere it brings out of the Earth with it some of the finer Mineral Spirits and the Sun-beams being then Powerful and Attractive do suck up these Mineral Spirits with the sweet Efluvia and Perspirations of Herbs and Flowers which the Evening and Morning Cold condenseth into Honey-dews or Manna In these Months the Sun's Beams are so strong and vigorous that they will draw up Frog-spawn which being receiv'd into the Body of a warm â—loud will presently be Form'd into little Frogs which will fall down upon the Earth in these Fertilizing Spring Showers Sometimes they will suck up Blood which will fall down in Showers of Rain especially after Bloody Battels fought at great distances So Corn c. will fall down in Rain But these are Magnalia Naturae CHAP. IX Of Rain Hail and Snow RAin Hail and Snow are the same as to their Matter The difference among them is only Accidental Hail being only Drops of Rain frozen in their falling down from a broken Cloud by a contract'd Body of the Lower Cold Snow being Vapours frozen before they be Condens'd into a Cloud Of Rain Rain is either general or particular higher or lower Observations concerning Rain When the Evening Dew falls before Sun-set and the Sun draws it up again the Evening Cold condenseth it into a Cloud and it falls down in a Shower of Rain in the Evening Twilight When the Evening Cold condenseth not the Vapours into Dews but draws them up to the Tops of the Mountains and thence into the Cold Regions of the Air they fall down in Rain about break of Day When the Morning Cold condenseth not the Dews but draws up the Vapours to the Tops of the Mountains and thence into the Cold Regions of the Air they fall down in Rain about Ten a Clock or sooner and so continues a general Rain for some Hours together the Evening and Morning Vapours being join'd When the Air is Calm and the Waters colder than the Mountains the Vapours draw down to the Waters and there they lie in a thick Fogg or Mist until the Sun by warming of the Waters causeth them to rise about Nine or Ten a Clock if the Morning Cold dilate it self it raiseth the Vapours to the middle of the Mountains where they continue in a thick Fogg the Mountain Tops being clear until the Vapours be all spent in a mizling kind of Rain When the Morning Cold divides it self into many little contracted Bodies these lesser Bodies of contracted Cold condense the Vapours and they fall down in particular Showers some not Mountain height so that one may sometimes go through a Shower of Rain if he please which will fall upon the Skirts of the Mountains when at the same time 't is clear both above and below the Shower Thus a Man may be above the Clouds and the Rain When the Morning Cold draws the Mists and the Foggs â—rom the Waters gradatim or in Sops as we call it to the Tops of the Mountains and they Trall there too and fro sometimes rising and then falling again the Dispute being between the Water-cold and the Mountain cold whether should get the Prize If at the last these Tralling Mists or Vapours be lifted up into the Cold Regions of the Air and be there Condens'd by some of those lesser Bodies of Cold which are flying about they fall down in particular Showers within an Hour or less after they be taken up so quiâ—k is the return of Vapours into Showers of Rain CHAP. X. Of Hail and Snow OBSERVATIONS WHen these lesser Bodies of contracted Cold are so placed one above another having distances of warm Air betwixt them as oftentimes it happens in very hot Weather for the greater the Heat is the more narrowly do these lesser Bodies of Cold contract themselves if any of the higher Bodies of Cold condense the Vapours into a Cloud and it break and fall down in drops of Rain through a Body of more contracted Cold it freezeth these
Clay c. which divide the several Strata we presently raise their Feeders And if any who being prompt'd either to gratifie his Natural Curiosity or gain some considerable Advantage to himself would raise a new River upon dry Ground let him go to the Foot of some Hill or Rising Ground and begin a Level-Drift which by cross-cutting of the several Strata of that Rising Earth he will Tap and fet at Liberty all the Feeders and if he drive on till he shall cross-cut with the Drift one Branch of those greater Dikes he will Raise a considerable River which may turn to his great Advantage CHAP. XVII Of those Preternatural Accidents that Disturb and Interrupt the Course of Nature in this Material World c. HAving in the former Chapters given an Account of the Originals Causes Consistences and Natural Uses of the several Parts of this Natural Globe as well Fix'd as Fluid It will not be improper to subjoin an Account of such Preternatural Accidents as sometimes have disturb'd and may for the future interrupt the regular Course of Nature and at the last so far destroy the Frame and Fabrick of this Material Part of it as to render it uncapable of being an Habitable World And these are Earthquakes Hurricanes Volcano's violent Eruptions of the Subterranean Waters as at Noah's Flood Stagnations of the Subterranean Air causing the Springs and Mineral Feeders to sink down into the Interior â—arts of the Earth Interruption of the Circulation of Vapours and Rains upon the Earth as in the days of Elisha the Prophet violent and Preternatural Thunders such as destroy'd Sodom and Gomorrah These and the like are the Accidental Distempers that have happen'd in the Body of the Earth and they seem Analagous to those Fevers Agues Convulsions c. which interrupt the Healthful Constitutions of our own Bodies and are sometimes destructive of 'em And as all the Diseases and Distempers our Bodies are subject to have their Original from Accidental Heats or Colds which either Sublimates and Exalts our Animal Spirits into a Feverish degree of Volatility or by Cold and Aguish Damps depresseth them into a degree of Stagnation So all those Accidental and Preternatural Disturbances that happen in the Course of Nature have their original Cause from the several Kinds and Natures of Damps which are Either Central Subterrene or Aerial And are of Quality Either Hot Cold Sweet or Foul. CHAP. XVIII Of the Central Damps Their Causes Natures and Dreadful Effects upon this Globe THE Subterranean Vault being filled with a confus'd Mass of undigested Matter Consisting of Sublimat'd Sulphur Bitumen and Nitre whenever it happens that there ariseth a War between these angry Volatiles and their Fluid Neighbours viz. the Subterranean Water and Air which Circulates through those greater Veins that environ this large Vault and do not only Feed and Nourish that Infernal Smother but keep and confine it within its own Boundaries that it break not forth in violent Eruptions upon the fixt Body of the Earth As soon as this Intestine War commenceth these Active Volatiles of Sublimated Sulphur Bitumen and Nitre collect and aggregate into great Bodies And when these discharge in the Central part of the Vault the Nitre which is the principal Cause of the grand Effort or Flatus dilates and expands its self on all sides upwards and downwards Indifferently And this violent Effort or Flatus causeth an universal Concussion of the whole Globe When the Damp gathers towards the Circumference of the Vault and there dischargeth it self the grand Flatus hath its Tendency upwards and sometimes causeth a Concussion of one half of the Globe without any Eruption of Fire When the Damp Fires upon some Class of the Superincumbent Strata it either splits them making Cracks and Chasms in the Exterior parts of the Earth for some Miles in length which at the instant of the Shock openeth and in the Interval between the Shocks closeth again Of this Kind was that â—rack or Chasm which open'd and â—â—allow'd up the Tents of Korah Dathan and Abiram and no doubt but the Shock struck a Terror into the whole Camp Or if the grand Flatus be very Strong and Vehement it either elevates the whole Class above the Superficies of the Earth forming a new Mountain or else it sinks down into the Vault and the vacant place is immediately fill'd with Water not from Dr. Woodward's Abyss but from the Veins of the Earth which break into it When the Damp fires near or upon some of the great Joints or Clifts of the Earth the Flatus pursues all the Windings and Turnings of these Joints and Clifts until it break forth in Dreadful Hurricanes either under the Sea occasioning most Horrible Disorders and Perturbations raising its Surface into Prodigious Waves Tossing and Rowling them about in most strange Whirlpools Overturning and Swallowing up Ships in an instant And upon the dry Land Overturning Cities Towns Blowing up Mountains c. Tho' these Effects of the Subterranean Nitre when Rarified and Dilated by the Central Flame be very Dreadful yet if these Fissures and Spiracles through which they get a Vent and break out upon the Earth had been Perpendicular as Dr. Woodward Conceits they wou'd have Destroy'd the whole Surface of it For then every one of these lesser Damps or Squibs which daily take Fire in the Subterranean Vault wou'd have broken out upon us And the greater Damps being Fired wou'd have Blown up not only the Inhabitants of the Earth but their Houses with its Superficies into the Air for the deeper the Fissure or Spiracle is if it be Perpendicular in a streight Line the more Strength and Impetuosity it gives to the Flatus as we observe in Guns and Fuzees Again The very Sulphurous Exhalations which wou'd have ascended through these Perpendicular Fissures without interruption wou'd with their Noisome Smell have Sufâ—ocated and Stifled those Animals that Live by Respiration and wou'd have afforded Matter for continual Thunder in the Air. It was then most agreeable with the State of this Habitable Globe that these Fissures or Joints of the Earth shou'd have their Position from the Surface to the Câ—nter in crooked Lines with various windings and turnings openings and closings not only for securing us from those dangerous Effects of the Central and Terrene Damps but also for the better and more commodious Communication of the Subterranean Waters through the Flat Strata of Matter And Lastly That the Subterranean Waters by following of the windings and â—urnings of these greater Fissures might have a longer Journey to the Sea and thereby supply the Inhabitants of the Earth with sweet Waters at a more Commodious and Convenient Distance These Phenomena of Central Damps and that they are the only cause of all those Universal Earth-quakes that have happen'd in this Natural World being wholly new and the World not yet accquainted with them may at first sight seem only the
strikes down these fiery Globuli with greater force upon the Earth and Waters and consequently they rise higher and èlevate the Vapours with them So that the Atmosphere is higher or lower in several parts of the Earth as the Sun riseth higher or lower in the Meridian and its Beams are darted down in a more direct or oblique Line And as the lowness of our Northern Atmosphere causeth the Sterility and Barrenness of the Northern Mountains so the height of the Southern Atmosphere causeth those Mountains in the Aequinoctial and Southern Regions to be more Fertile and Productive CHAP. II. Of the â—fficient Causes of all Metors and first of Heat BY Heat is not to be understood the Element of Fire which Aristotle and his Followers conceited to be under the Concave of the Moon there being no such Element there but by Heat is meant that Internal Heat and Fermentation which is in the Body of the Earth and that Natural Fire which is originally and essentially in the Body of the Sun the Vehicle of External Heat which Streams out from every part of that Fiery Globe giving Heat Light and enlivening Vegetations to the whole Material World being within the Compass of its Fiery and Luminous Atmosphere These Streams of Heat and Light which is only the shadow of Heat being Darted through the Regions of the Air in Strait Lines and single Rayes are not perceivably Hot or Cold no more than the Light of a Candle without the Sphere of its Heat but being doubled by multiplyed Reflections and Reboundings from the solid Surface of the Earth does increase its Heat as the Reflections are multiplyed and rebounded which makes it hotter against a Wall than upon the plane Ground and in the Vallies than upon the Mountains We must therefore distinguish between those single Rayes of Heat which dart through the Air in instants which are neither perceivably hot or cold and the Heat upon the Superficies of the Earth which being contracted by an Artificial Glass is Râ—al Fire The Essential Qualities of Heat are Calefaction Elevation Rarefaction Liquefaction and Consolidation as it meets with Matter Predisposed to receive its Effects CHAP. III. Of Cold the other efficient Cause of Meteors BY Cold is not meant a bare privation of Heat as former Philosophers did conceit but a real Body of a Subtile Sublimated and Homogenous Nature and of a cold and frigid Quality It s proper place of Existence is between this Earths Atmosphere and the Atmosphere of the Moon which is our next Neighbouring Globe and by the rising and falling of this main Body of Cold are caused the several Changes and Alterations of the Weather with us The Cause of its Rising and Falling is the pressures of these two Atmospheres between which it is plac'd When the waterish Atmosphere of the Moon presseth it down it causeth Storms and Tempests here upon this Globe And when it Rises it causes the same in the Moon The Rising and Falling of this Main Body of Cold is sometimes also occasion'd by its Dilating and Contracting of it self Now as the Suns Beams are hotter in their Reflections upon the Earth than in the Sun it self so these Cold Rays which are darted from this Main Body of Cold being increas'd and multiply'd by Reflection from the Mountains and Rivers are much colder than the Main Body of Cold in its own Sphere These Reflected Globuli of Cold may be term'd the Lower or Ground-cold because in Summer it penetrates the Earth and in Winter it seldom rises higher than the Tops of the highest Mountains unless when it joins with the Main Body and then it causeth great Storms of Frost and Snow c. This Lower or Ground-cold is commonly the Rear-guard and Van-guard of the Sun always going before and following it and it s most perceivable in the Evening and Morning Twilights especially by Birds and Aerial Animals whose Bodies do so sympathize with the Air that they can more quickly perceive the Change of Weather especially the rising of a Storm or Rain or Snow than any of the Terrene Animals and this they commonly discover by their Flying high or low or Flocking together or sometimes by different Notes or Voices This occasion'd the Ancient Augurs to conceit them prophets c. The Essential Qualities and Effects of Cold in general are Frigefaction Congelation and sometimes Petreâ—action and when the lower Cold is Contracted either by Art or Proprio motu it Starves and Freezes as the Fire Burns and Scorcheth This lower Cold contracts and dilates it self as it meets with Opposition from the contrary Quality of Heat and Fire The Effects of the lower Cold when it enters the Earth By Antiperistasis it Fires Damps in Collieries Mines burning Mountains and Vulcano's When it lyes upon the Earth it causeth Dews and hoar Frosts it sucks out Damps and corrupted Air out of Under-ground Works c. CHAP. IV. Of the Air or Medium wherein all Meteors are Generated THE Air is a Vast Medium or Expansion fill'd with Rarify'd Vapours and Exhalations which like Water would Stagnate unless by a Daily addition of Rarify'd Vapours or Wind it were put into a Flux and Reflux as the Sea is the addition of Rivers continually flowing into it from all sides When the Air is Calm then are the Meteors Generated when by the Wind the Air is put into a violent Flux and Reflux they are Broken and Dispapear CHAP. V. Of Fiery Meteors c. THE Lower Cold which follows the Sun in the Evening Twilight continues its Operation for some Hours after its Beams are out of sight and no longer the middle of the Night being for the most part a Calm as well in Winter as Summer during which time of its Operation it causeth all those Fiery Meteors which the former Philosophers gave several Names to as falling Stars Rods Beams Ignes Fatui or Will with Wisp c. according as they differ'd in Matter Magnitude and manner of Appearance some Consisting of a hot and dry Exhalation others of an Exhalation mix'd with a Viscous and Unctious Matter a Third of a simple and unmix'd Exhalation All these are Generated in the Lower Regions of the Air the Matter of them being drawn up out of the Earth Waters and Bituminous Boggs and Mosses by the Sun's Influence upon them especially in the Spring Months For then the Subâ—erranean Heat draws out to communicate with its Main Body for as at this time all Animals renew their Hair clear their Blood from gross Humours so doth this great Animal the Earth purge her self of gross Humours by Mushrooms and other Pinguid Evaporations for then the Subâ—erranean Heat drawing out to communicate with the External Heat brings forth of the Earth these Mineral Spirits and Pinguid Perspirations in so plentiful a measure which being taken up into the Air are Condens'd into Clouds and fall down again upon the Earth in such Fertilizing Showers that the Psalmist tells us the Clouds at this Season
those lighter Fogs and waâ—erish Mists into a Body which made the Moon how by clearing of the superlunary Firmament or the Planetary Spheres the Stars appear'd and what the Sun Moon and Stars contribute towards the Production of sensitive or locomotive Animals and why the Creation of these second Causes made the fourth Production Chap. 4. Of the Production of the second Degree of Life and first of oviparous Animals as Fish and waterish Insects Chap. 5. Of the second Genus oâ— oviparous Animals viz. the Aerial And first of Fly-Insects secondly of Serpents thirdly of Birds and why Moses makes the waterish and aerial Animals congenial Chap. 6. Of the terrene or viviparous Animals Chap. 7. Of the Creation of Man the sixth Production The Conclusion Wherein is shewn the meaning and signisicancy of these Words And God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good A Discourse concerning the Terrestrial Paradise shewing how Adam was introduced into it The Time he continued in it and how he and Eve employed that Time A Discourse concerning the Conflagration of this material World the Local Hell its outmost Boundaries or Abraham's Gulph A short Treatise of Meteorology with some Observations concerning the Changes and Alterations of the Weather Chap. 1. Of Vapourâ—â—nd Exhalations c. Chap. 2. Of the efficient Causes oâ— all Meteors and first of Heat Chap. 3. Of Cold the other efficient Cause of Meteors Chap. 4. Of the Air or Medium wherein all Meteors are generated Chap. 5. Of fiery Meteors c. Chap. 6. Of Comets c. Chap. 7. Of Thunder its Causes and Effects Chap. 8. Of vaporous Meteors and first of Dews and Hoar Frosts Chap. 9. Of Rain Hail and Snow Chap. 10. Oâ— Hail and Snow with Observations Chap. 11. Of Frost and Thaw Chap. 12. Oâ— the Sphere of Rarefaction Chap. 13. Of Wind Helms and Arches Chap. 14. Prognostications of the Change and Alteration of Weather from the setting and rising of the Sun The Author living at a great Distance from the Press desires the Reader â—o pâ—â—don those following Mistakeâ— PAge 5. line 13. read further p. 25. l. 6. r. Philosophically p. 27. l. 9. r. Anteperistatical p. 30. l. 10. r. Nutritius p. 44. l. 25. r. Fluidity p. 67 l. 1. r. Nature p. 91. l. 4. r. Sublunary p. 121. l. 24. r. Litoralâ—s p. 13â— l. 25. r. Assimilation p. 139. l. 10. r. learned p. 155. l. 28. r. Zodiack A Scheme wherein the Several Phaenomena of this Terraqueous Globe are Explained ABCDEFG A The Central Fire disseminating a Vital heat through the whole Cortex or Shel of the Globe B The Mountains â—rom the Centre to the Surface C Heaths D Plains E The Channel of the Sea The flatt Strata or Beds of Matter with their Acclivities to the â—ountains and Declivities to the Seas together with their Elevations and Depressions thus described The winding and turnings of the greater Veins Dividing the several Classes of Matter described thus through which the whole Mass of sâ—â—terranean Water Circulates Their Lesser Fibres or Rami Factions filling all the flat Strata with feeders of Water which breaking out upon the Surface of the Earth cause Spring c. described thus F The Seas with the Rivers flowing into them from the Tops of the Mountains swelling them into a Ciâ—bosity and causing in them a Continual Fermentation G Vapors Arising from the Seas which being Attracted by the Coldness of the Mountains fixeth there Forming an Atmosphere round the whole Globe PART I. CHAP. I. â—he Philosophical meaning of these Words In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth and what may be concluded from them MOSES in his Philosophical Description of the Creation lays it down as a granted Principle or a grand Thesis â—â—at the Heavens and the Earth with 〈◊〉 their Parts Furniture and variety 〈◊〉 Natures contained in them were â—â—eated de novo and that God the â—â—pream Being Un-created and Indeâ—endent Almighty in Power and Inâ—â—nite in Wisdom and all Perfections â—as the efficient cause That the time when the World was Created was in the beginning of Time or when Time first began to have a Being for before the World was Created there was duration or Stabilis Aeternitas as the Schoolmen express it but Time being an equal mensuration of Motion it and Motion began together From this grand Thesis we may conclude First against Aristotle who endeavour'd by many Arguments to prove that the World as it now stands in Matter and Form was Eternal which Hypothesis advanceth the World into an equality with God makes it its own efficient Cause Uncreated and Independent In the Second place this Mosaick Thesis concludes against Plato and his Followers who tho' he did positively assert that God made the World yet he did conceive that the Matter on which it did consist was Eternal and Pre-existent By which Hypothesis he concludes God to be an impotent cause not able to create the World without Matter and Stuff to work upon These mistaken Principles in Philososophy were occasion'd from the Observation of the regular course of Nature not considering that there might be other causes which might produce effects in an other way than cou'd ever come within the compass of their narrow observation for how Spiritual Causes produce their effects its impossible for us whilst we continuâ— in this dark state of Matter wherein we have but a very short and narrow prospect to understand In the Third place it concludes against Democritus and his Followers who did not only conceit that Matter was Eternal and Pre-existent but that the World had no efficient cause but what was from Chance or the casual motion of Matter which consisting of infinite numbers of Atoms or little Corpuscles of different Figures Natures and Qualities which rainged about in a vast and infinite space until at the last by Divisions Separations and Mixtures occasioned by their contrary and mixt Qualities and the innate Power of Sympathy and Antipathy they at last setled into the Form and Figure of this World which it can no more alter or vary from than the active Fire be taught to change its Nature and descend and Gravation to ascend and fly upward No doubt but this Hypothesis waâ— grounded upon an experimental Observation of the several Kinds of Matter of different Natures which being mixt together in a Glass or any transparent Vessel will separate and divide themselves proprio mâ—tu tho never so jumbled and mix'd together I shall not in this place shâ—w you the absurdity of this Hypothâ—sis but rather chuse in the following Chapters to give some account what Feats Matter and Motion will produce by vertue of their contrary Qualities and the power of Sympathy and Antipathy and how far God Almighty might make uâ—e of thâ—se towards the forming the materrial part of this World We may hence farther conclude that although neither the World as it stands nor the Matter on which it consists did
drops of Rain into Hail-Stones I have observ'd a Shower of Rain upon the Mountains the same a Shower of Hail upon the Skirts of the Mountains the same dissolved again into a Shower of Rain in the Vallies I have observ'd also a Shower of Hail at one end of the Town the same a Shower of Rain at the other end the contracted Body of Cold that caused the Hail being not a Quarter of a Mile in Circumference Of Snow When the Lower Cold riseth and the Upper Cold falleth and so straitens the Sphere of Rarefaction that the Wind blows thin as out of a contracted Mouth the Vapours are frozen in-Snow before they be condensed into a Cloud and the shower of Snow only at first covers the Tops of the Mountains but as soon as the Lower Cold riseth Mountain height and joyns with the Upper Cold the Snow falls down into the Vallies and covers the Earth OBSERVATIONS When the Wind has blown for some time S. E. or full S. or S. W. we must expect a great and general Rain for these Winds blowing from such Regions where the Atmosphere rises high bring over with them the greatest Quantity of Vapours which our Mountanous Country condenseth into Clouds which fall down in great and general Rains And this is the reason why those Countries where most of the Vapours rise have the least of Rain which want is supplied by great Dews which the Evening and Morning Cold condenseth upon the Ground For where the Atmosphere riseth high the Lower and Higher Cold never meet which is the cause of their want of Rain When the Wind blows N. or N. E. or full E. we have seldom Rain but great Flights of Snow For the Atmosphere in those Parts being very low especially in Winter and the Mouth of the Sphere of Rarefaction very strait the Wind that blows from these Quarters is so very thin and freezing that those few Vapours which are brought from those places for the most part fall down in Snow CHAP. XI Of Frost and Thaw c. FRost and Thaw are the Effects of quite diâ—ferent Causes the one being occasion'd by the Influence of Heat the other of Cold and these two contrary Qualities do not give ground one to another without great struggle and contest The first beginning of Freezing is at the Waters and this we call a Water Frost it s the Effect or Operation of the Morning Cold which drawing down to the Waters in the Morning Twilight and carrying the Vapours along with it leaves a Waterish Hoar Frost upon the Ground behind it These Vapours lie upon the Waters until Nine a Clock for by that time the Influence of Heat having warm'd the Waters forceth them to remove their Quarters first to the cold Tops of the Mountains and thence to the cooler Regions of the Air from whence they fall down in Showers of Rain about Twelve a Clock this Frost only gains the Waters Vallies and Plains The Second Morning the Cold doubles its Force and Glaceates the Waters congeals the Earth and riseth to the middle of the Mountains their Tops still continuing in the possession of Heat This degree of Cold is over-powered by the Influence of Heat about Two a Clock and falls down in Rain in the Evening Twilight The Third Morning the Cold trebles its force and gains the Tops of the Mountains And the Influence of Heat commonly recovers this lost Ground a little before the Sun set and in the Morning Twilight it falls down in a shower of Snow covering only the Tops of the Highest Mountains The Upper and Lower Cold being now united the Frost keeps its possession of the Earth and Waters sometimes for a Month or more together and in some Countries lying at a distance from the Sea the whole Winter Quarter the Wind all the time blowing Cold and Thin the Mouth of the Sphere of Rarefaction being straitned by the joyning of the Higher and Lower Cold. During the Time that the Earth and Waters continue in the possession of Frost and Snow the Subterranean Heat breaks out of the Springs and Mineral Feeders and joyning with the Heart of the Sun Regeâ—es the Spring-heads and part of the Rivers gaining them intirely into its possession But the general Frost continues until the Vapours rising from the Southern or Western Ocean recover the Wind into some of the Solar Quarters which opening the Sphere of Rarefaction the Wind blows warm and moist For as the same Breath from an open Mouth warms ones Fingers so from a contracted Mouth it will cool his Porridge The general Frost in the Northern Countries near the Pole and in Countries at a distance from the Sea seldom Regeles until the Subterranean Heat break forth and joyn with the Heat of the approaching Sun and then the Frost and Snow is dissolved in a very short time and the Spring comes on much sooner than in those Countries where the Regelation is more gradual Thus as a constant Intercourse of Day and Night gives the Active Animals liberty by Rest and Sleep to recover their wasted Strength and Spirits so an Annual return of Frost and Snow recovers and repairs the Strength and Spirits of the Earth which had been spent in the preceeding Summers Productions For in this Natural World all things are repair'd by corrupting preserv'd by perishing and reviv'd by dying As the Operation of Cold did gradually gain ground upon the Influence of Heat so by the same methods and degrees Heat recovers its lost ground the Fresh or Thaw beginning first at the Waters and from thence riseth up to the Plains and Vallies and last of all the Tops of the Mountains which are for sometime kept in the possession of Frost and Cold after the lower parts of the Earth be regeled are gained CHAP. XII Of the Sphere of Rarefaction THE Sphere of Rarefaction is a Sphere of Heat wherein the Suns Reflections meet and unite themselves in their own defence against the Upper and Lower Cold. And being placed in a middle between them it riseth or falleth openeth or closeth as it prevails upon them or as they open or close rise or fall This Sphere of Heat by Rarefying of Vapours and Exhalations causeth Wind. That Heat is the cause of Wind is apparent from the Experience of such People who to cause Wind usually set Chaff Seeds or Straw on Fire And when Houses or Towns are accidentally thus set on Fire the Heat of the Flame by Rarefying of the Vapours and Exhalations round about will raise the Wind to so great a height as will make it a matter of great difficulty to quench the Flame CHAP. XIII Of Wind Helms and Arches WInd is the Nitrous part of Vapour and Exhalation Rarified and Dilated by the Sphere of Rarefaction The Winds are either higher or lower as the Sphere of Rarefaction riseth or falleth they are thicker or thinner as it openeth or closeth they are Moist Hot or Dry as they have more or less of Vapour or
Exhalation in them The Pabulum of Winds is commonly called a Helm from the Greek Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Spiro to Breath and they are Either Visible or Invisible The Visible Helms are Either Opake Mixt or Translucent These Wind Helms fix upon the coldest parts of the Globe as the Gibbosity of the Sea the Tops of the highest Mountains Mountain-Heaths Waters and Rivers The Matter on which these Helms consist is a Vaporous Mist which as it endeavours to rise up is pressed down by the Sphere of Rarefaction and by Rarifying the Nitrous part of it which is always uppermost into Wind the still Body of the Air is put into a violent Flux every Blast of Wind being only a Wave of Air the Rapidity of its Motions is occasion'd by the Declivity of the Mountains Wherever the Grand Helm fixeth from that Quarter the Wind blows untill the stock of Vapours be spent For Instance If the Grand Helm fix upon the Mountains of Germany the Second Helm fixeth upon the Gibbosity of the Eastern Seas by the Gibbosity of the Sea I understand that middle Ridge where the Flux and Reflux breaketh the Third Helm fixeth upon Crossfelt and that Ridge of Mountains the Fourth Helm fixeth upon Skidday and that Ridge of Mountains and so forward until the Grand Pabulum be spent and then the Wind ceaseth and the Air is Calm That distance between Helm and Helm we call an Arch over which as the Vapours rise the Wind blows them from Helm to Helm one feeding and repairing another until the Grand Stock be spent And so on the contrary if the Grand Helm fix upon the Mountains in Irelaâ—d the Wind blows West forming Helms and Arches till that Stock be spent The Grand Helm is always Opake consisting of all Vapour The first Wind is Wet and â—ainy the Arch over-Clouded for as the Nitrous part of the 〈◊〉 â—iseth and is â—arify'd into Wind it driveth before it the Rain as the Sal◠〈◊〉 being fir'd drives before it Hail shot The Second Helm is Mix'd being part Exhalation and part Vapour the upper part of the Helm being Exhalation is Translucent this Wind is Showry and the Arch Cloudy The Third Helm is Translucent being all Exhalation the Wind Dry the Air Clear The Invisible Helms are all Exhalation and they seldom rise as high as the Tops of Mountains but fix upon Waters Rivers the Tops and Sides of Hâ—lls and high Buildings these Winds are the lowest that Blow one may go through them and find a Calm upon the Tops of Mountains This is a common Observation made by those who Live under the Mountains The Pâ—â—ulum of these Winds being soon spent they change often Observations concerning Winds Helms and Arches When the Vapours and Eâ—halations rise from the Waters to the Skirts of the Mountains and 〈◊〉 Roll and Trail to and fro the Sphere of Rarefaction is 〈◊〉 and these Vapours and Exhalations being Rarefy'd into Wind it blows till the Stock be spent These are Spring Winds and Summer Winds they continue only from Ten a Clock till Three in the Afternoon and are sometimes â—arriâ—d about 〈◊〉 the Sun they seldom rise as high as the Tops of the Mountainâ— When the Vapours rise to the Tops of the Mountains and fix there in a Black and Opake Ledge expect a Raiâ—y Wind. When they are Opake at the bottom and White at the Top expect a Showery Rain When the Helm is White and Translucent expect a dry Wind. When the Helms are even Ballanc'd with Vapours and Exhalations the Wind will Blow sometimes from both Helms and sometimes a third Blast of Wind will come from a middle Point or Quarter and sometimes also a Blast of Wind will come whirling down from above our Heads with great violence When the whole Horizon is Helm'd about expect contrary Blasts Whirlwinds or Hurricanes When the Helms rise and close up the Arch with black Clouds expect great Rains Where the Clouds begin to open and Brighten Mountain height the Wind will blow from that Quarter for there a new Helm is fix'd and the Sphere of Rarefaction is faln a working In large Continents at great distance from the Sea where there are not many Mountains wherever the Wind-Helm fixeth and the Pabulum is gathered the Wind will blow from that Point or Hâ—lm for some Months together These we call Trade Winds CHAP. IV. Prognostications of the change and alteration of Weather from the Setting and Rising of the Sun Prognostications of Rain from the Setting of the Sun WHen the Sun Setteth in â— black waterish Cloud the Vapours are condens'd by the Evening Cold and the Morning Cold raiseth them up into the Cold Regions of the Air where they Swim until Nine or Ten a Clock next Morning and then their own weight causeth them to sink and break into Rain When the Sun goes down wading or forcing as they call it the Vapours are drawing down with the Evening Cold and the next Morning Cold condenseth them into Clouds which the next Day fall down in Showers of Râ—â—n about Twelve a Clock When the Sun Sets broad and glimmering it Sets in thin Vapours which the next Day will fall down in a misling Rain Signs of fair Weather When the Sun Sets clear and appears little and fiery the Vapours are all spent and you may expect a fair and hot Day to follow When the Sun Sets through thin Clouds sharp edged like Swords these are little Wind-Helms and you must expect a fair and windy Day to follow When after the Sun is Set its Beams strike the Air with a Crimson-red you may expect that the next Day will be Fair and Windy Signs of Rain from the Rising Sun If before the Sun appears its Rising Beams strike the Air with a Crimson-Red expect Wind and Rain about Ten a Clock for the Air is full of Vapours and Exhalations When the Sun Riseth broad and glimmering and is presently receiv'd into a black Cloud the Morning Cold riseâ—h and takes up with it the Vapours which fall down in great Rains When the Sun Riseth clear and several little black Clouds are ready to receive it expect a Showery Day Signs of a fair Day from the Rising Sun If the Sun Rise little and fiery and the Vapours draw down to the Waters leaving a Dew upon the Ground these Vapours about Ten a Clock are Rarify'd into Wind which continues blowing only till Three in the Afternoon and Prognosticate a fair Season If the Sun Rise in thick Clouds and appear not till until Ten a Clock expect a clear Afteâ—noon If the Sun appear not till Twelve a Clock expect not only a clear Afternoon but a dry Season for the Morning Cold riseth not The Rising of the Morning Cold and its lifâ—ing up the Vapours with it is the cause of all the Rain we have FINIS BOOKS Printed for Iohn Newton at the Three Pigeons over against the Inner-Temple-Gate in Fleet-Street A Charge given at the