before the Deluge was not smooth even and uniform but unequal and distinguish'd with Mountains Valleys as also with Seas Lakes and Rivers CHAP. X. Of the constituent parts of the Earth And first of the Volatile part of it or the Central Fire its natural Uses THE Constituent parts of this Terraqueous Globe are reducible to three different Classes of Matter viz. Volatile Fix'd and Fluid and these bear equal proportion one to another and in the Structure of the Earth do occupy the same proportion of place The Volatile Matter consisting of sublimated Sulphur Nitre and Bitumen keeps possession of the Central part and as all Matter of the same kind and affinity which having an appetite to Union naturally affects a round and globular Figure so the Central Fire may be suppos'd to be of the same Form That Figure wherein the Excentral Fire appears is only accidental occasion'd by the compressures of the circumambient Air. That vast subterranean Vault wherein this volatile Globe of Central Fire is contain'd which the Miners call thâ— Belly of the Earth may be suppos'd to be either of a round or circular or of an aequilateral multangular Figure occasion'd by the solid Strata of Stones spreading and vaulting themselves about it The natural Uses of this Central Fire seem to be Analogous to that vital Flame which is seated in the Heâ—rt or Center of all Animals for as that by its Vital heat â—nlivens the whole Body so this Central â—ire by that Vital warmth it disseminates through the whole mass of Matter enlivens it and gives as well to the several Strata of Stones Metals Minerals and other subterranean Earths their degrees of Consolidation as to the several kinds of Ores their different degrees of Purity and Perfection As the Vital Flame does not only cause the Ebullition and Pulsisick Faculty in the Exterior paâ—ts of the Body but also the Circulation of the whole Mass of Blood through all the greater and lesser Veins of it so the Central Fire is as well the cause of the Ebullition of Springs Thermae and Mineral Feeders which break out upon the tops of Mountains and the exterior parts of the Earth as of the constant Circulation of the whole Mass of Subterranean Water through those Dykes Rakes and Fissures which from the Mountains do divide and spread themselves through the whole Body of the Earth and are the greater and lesser Veins of it Again as the Vital Flame gives the tincture and colour to the Blood Flesh and all the Heterogeneous parts of the Body so the Central Fire by the different degrees of concoction and boyling up of Matter gave to the several kinds of it their different Tinctures and Colours this might be illustrated by several Analogous Experiments and Observations as in the boiling of Quincâ—s and other Fruits so likewise in Bâ—king of Bread c. The Central Fire by running a perpetual Round within the Boundaries of its own Infernal Vault carries the Shell of the Earth about with it and is the cause of its Diurnal Motion Lastly It is the Earth's Aequilibrium that keeps it fix'd upon its Center CHAP. XI Of the fixt part of the Earth And first of the Inequalities of its Surface their Natural Causes and Uses THE fixt part of this Terraqueous Globe which we call the Earth may be describ'd either as to its Exterior parts or Interior consistences of it The Exterior parts consist of Mountains Heaths Dales Plains Valleys with the Channel of the Sea The Interior consistences of it are the Strata or Beds of Stones Metals Mines Minerals and Subterranean Earths all lying upon Flats with a Dibb and Rise Or they are Dikes Rakes Riders Veins and Strings either cross-cutting and dividing the several kinds of Stones Metals Mines Minerals c. of a different kind or cross-cutting and dividing those of the same Species as all Metallick Rakes c. Of the Inequalities of the Earths Surface THese Irregularities and Inequalities upon the Superficies of the Earth are occasion'd by the Elevations and Depressions of the solid Strata and these are cau'd either by the greater Dikes which divide one Species of Stones c. from those of a different kind and these greater Dikes make Channels and Water-courses for the greater Rivers which following their windings and turnings till they empty themselves into the Sea cause all those pleasant Dales which at last when the Mountains wear out dilate themselves into spacious Plains and Valleys The lesser Dikes and Joynts which divide the Stones c. of the same kind by throwing them up and down cause all those lesser Hills which as well delight the Eye with a grateful variety of Objects as refrigerate and cherish the whole Body with a more cool clear and wholsome Air. There is not any thing in this Natural World that contributes more towards the making of it Habitable then these inaequalities upon its Surface For First they occasion all these different Kinds and Natures of Soil which produce the several Species of Vegetables suitable to the several Natures of those Animals that feed upon them The Earth's Surface being God's Storehouse wherein is provided Food and Nourishment agreeable to the Nature of every Animal and every living Creature by a Natural Instinct knows its proper Food and Nourishment and when and where to find it They occasion all those different qualities of the Air as Warm Cold Thick Thin Moist and Dry for as God has provided Food suitable to the several Natures to feed on so He has provided Air suitable to their Natures to Breath in Those Inequalities upon the Earth occasion all those Springs Mineral Feeders and Medicinal Waters which break out in Rapid Streams from the Tops of Mountains and the Skirts of lesser Hills so that as God has provided convenient Food for every Animal to feed upon and agreeable Air to breath in He has likewise by causing of Springs to break forth and bubble up at the Foot almost of every Hill provided convenient Water for every Animal to quench its Thirst with Whereas if the Earth had been of an Even and Spherical Supersicies cover'd with one solid Strata or incrusted Cover of Earth I doubt we should have been forc'd to have Digg'd as deep as Dr. Burnet and Dr. Woodward's Abyss before we shoâ—'d have met with Water sufficient to have quench'd our Thirst and it s also doubtful that when we had found it it wou'd not have been Sweet and Wholsome These Inequalities also cause the sâ—veral Strata of Stones Mines and Oâ—es c. having a Natural Rise to brâ—ak â—oâ—th at Day so that the Ingeâ—â—ouâ—â—â—d Industrious Miner may meet with not only Stone for Building of Houses Coals for his Fires but the several Kinds of Ore to enrich his Coffers with These Inequalities also produce all those Pleasant and most Profitable Copises and Thickets of all Kinds of Trees which delight most to grow
drop down Fatness These Hot and Fiery Exhalations which are flying about scatter'd and dispers'd in the Lower Reâ—ion of the Air being seiz'd on by the evening Cold are forc'd in Defence of â—hemselves to unite their Forces and being united do Fire upon their Grand Enemy viz. Cold. Some Fire in a Round Figure like a Fireball which the Meteorologists call a Falling Star some in a long Train either Strait or Crooked and these they call'd by the name of Rods or Beams others being simple and unmix'd Exhalations flash out in Lightning like Gun-powder upon a Table others being mix'd with a Viscous and Unctious kind of Matter Fire near the Earth are mov'd by the Motion of the Air or an easie and soft Wind or are drawn down in pursuit of their Enemy Cold to Waters Mosses Boggs and Heaths still Burning like a Candle in a Lanthorn till their Unctious Matter be Exhaust'd and then they leave a Liquid Jelly upon the Earth This Meteor they call Will with Wisp or Ignis Fatuus or Fool 's Fire because Ignorant People conceiting it to be a Spirit keep their Eyes upon it until they lose their way and then are apt to give a dreadful Account of a Spirit they met with which misled them If any of these Fiery Exhalations escape the Evening Cold the Morning Cold about break of Day before it be drawn down to the Waters Fires them by causing them to pursue the same Method of Self-defence they took in the Evening CHAP. VI. Of Comets c. AMongst the Fiery Meteors all the former Philosophers reckon'd Comets to be the most Remarkable And they gave such Dismal Accounts of the Dreadful Effects of them that their very Appearance put the World under a great Consternation But in my Opinion the World according to the Old Proverb was more affraid than hurt by them For that Comets are Fiery Meteors and have such dreadful Effects following their Appearance is a Mistake in Meteorology so palpable that it needs no Confutation That which we call a Comet being no more than a Star of a Fiery and Luminous Body in Conjunction with an other Star of an Opake and Waterish Substance or a Vast Coelestial Cloud which by receiving into its Body the Bright Rays of the Luminous Star becomes Translucent and appears to us in the Form and Figure of a Luminous or Fiery Globe and by emitting Beams or Streams of Light it appears to be a Fiery and Burning Meteor which by the Meteorologists is call'd a Comet If this Conjunction and Interposition be Centrical it sends forth its Beams of Light on every Side and this we call a Bearded Comet If the Interposition be not Centrical but the Luminous Star be higher or lower or on one side it sends forth a Beam or Stream of Light upward or downward or to one side and this Beam or Stream of Light is call'd the Tail of the Comet The Appearance of this Comet continues until their different Motions have separated them A demonstration of this you may have several Evenings when a black waterish Cloud interposeth between us and the Body of the Sun if the Interposition be Centrical the Sun's Beams stream out every way if the Sun be higher it sends forth its Beams of Light downward if lower upward or to one side according to the Interposition of the Cloud Against this Hypothesis it may be Objected that there is no such thing in Nature as an Opake Waterish Coelestial Body To which I answer That thâ— Moon is an Opake Globe of a Waterish Substance and if its Natural Course and Motion was not within the compass of the Suns Atmosphere it would be to us invisible So there may be for any thing that we know Thousands of Opake Globes within the Vast Expansion of the Coelestial Spheres which are never visible to us but when they fall into Conjunction or Oppositon with a Luminous Star And when these Opake Globes are of a Round and Waterish Substance they appear to us in the Form of Comets Again it is most probable that all these New Stars which have appear'd for some time and then disappear'd which Astronomers have given such Remarkable Accounts of are only Opake Globes made visible for sometime by their being in Conjunction or Opposition to a Luminous Star and when their different Motions have separated them the Opake Star hath disappear'd CHAP. VII Of Thunder its Causes and Effects OF all Fiery Meteors there are none so dreadful as Thunder which being an Aerial Fire Damp the Nature and Notion of it will be best illustrated by comparing it to an Aerial Battle between these Two powerful and irreconcilable Enemies Fire and Water The Army of Fire consists of Hot and Fiery Exhalations raised out of the Earth and Bituminous Bogs by the Influence and Heat of the Sun especially out of the South-east full East and North-east Parts of this Globe Those vast and spacious Continents affording most of those hot and fiery Soldiers The General that Commands in Chief and which leads them forth into the Field is a Sulphurous and East Wind. The Army of Water consists of cold and moist Vapours raised out of the Southern and Western Ocean Their General that leads them forth to Battâ—e is a cold moist West Wind For it s to be observ'd that for some time beforâ— the Thunder begins and whilst it continues the Blasts of Wind always blow from contrary Points and the Clouds gather and march up in the full Face of the Wind which always Blows from an East Quarter These Two Armies being Form'd into two Wings and two Main Bodies First Fire being the more Active and Volatile sends forth a Detachment of fiery Chariots from the South-east Wing which being met with by an other Detachment of Vaporous Clouds from the South-west Wing the Battle begins And those hot and fiery Exhalations that we see riding in Chariots of Fiery Clouds like Pillars of Translucent Smoke being inclos'd and surrounded with this Vaporous Cloud are forc'd to unite all their Forces together that Vis Vnita being Fortior they may the better be able to defend themselves and destroy the Enemy No sooner then the Forces on both Sides are united but the Fiery Exhalations discharge upon the Waterish 〈◊〉 in Fire and Lightning The Thundring Noise we hear is occasion'd by the Opposition they met with and the Breach of the Cloud which falls down in great and dreadful Showers of Rain upon the Earth the Drâ—ps of Water being greater or less aâ— the Breach of the Cloud is at a higher or lower distance from the Earth After the Thundering Battel is thus begun the other Wings engage and we hear the Thundering Sound of the Battel both South-east and North-west The Bâ—ttel by this time growing very hot the Main Bodies engage and then nothing is to be heard but a Thundering Noâ—se with continual Flashes of Lightning and dreadful Showers of Rain falling down from the broken Clouds And sometimes
Products of Fancy or meer Conjecture yet if Seriously and Impartially enquir'd into will be fouâ—d Grounded upon such Reason as cannot without a prejudic'd Opinion be easily deny'd For it cannot be imagin'd by any who have made it their business to understand the Structure of the Earth those â—everal Classes of Solid and Dense Matter on which it consists the windings and turnings of those Dikes and Partitions which divide them and are the Subterranean Water Courses that there shou'd be Magazines of Subterranean Gunpowder lodg'd in Infernal Cavities round the whole Globe and that there shou'd be Trains laid from one Collection to another and that all these Trains shou'd take Fire through all the Subterranean Rivers in one instant of Time Neither can it reasonably be suppos'd that there shou'd be a Concussion of the whole or half or any considerable part of the Globe by one Subterranean Flatus but what is from the Central Vault Again The Consistences of the greatest part of the Earth being rather of a Gold Terrene and Mercurial than of a Bituminous Nitrous and Sulphureous Quality it cannot be suppos'd that those parts of the Earth which afford no quantities of this Natural Gunpowder shou'd suffer a Concussion or Earthquake but from these Central Damps Besides those Miners who have sunk deepest into these Occult Regions do from their own Experience assure us that there are no Grotto's or Cavities above an Hundred Fathoms deep unless in those Mountainous Countries where the Consistences are of a Sulphurous and Nitrous Quality affording plenty of Natural Gun-powder which being Fir'd cause all those Vulcano's we Read of in History CHAP. XIX Of Terrene Damps and their Dreadful Effects upon this Globe c. TErrene Damps have their Original either from Heat or Cold and are either Fiery or Waterish Those which have their Original from Fire are of the same Nature with those Central Damps we have given Account of As all Local Earth-quakes do more frequently happen in the Mountainous Countries than in the Plains and Valleys because all the greater Dikes Joints and Veins of the Earth contract and meet there And the Flatus which is the occasion of the Shock makes its way by what passage soever it can get Vent But these Mountainous Couâ—tries especially which yield great store of Sulphur Bitumen and chiefly Nitre these Minerals affording the greatest plenty of Natural Gun-powder are most injur'd by those dreadful Shocks because those Mountains whose Natural Consistences are of so Hot and Fiery a Quality are commonly very Cavernous and their greater Joints and Fissures as well as strong Strata having by frequent Concussions and Earthquakes lost their Natural Feeders are become the most proper Receptacles for those Fiery Stores to be lodg'd in until either the Central Fire or their own Natural Heat being contracted into a Point Discharge first the lowest Damp and the rest by Trains like so many Subalterns discharge in Course and sometimes for several Months together till the Subterranean Gun-powder be all spent And these Burning Mountains such as Aetna Vesuvius Hecla and others are only so many Spiracles or Vulcano's serving for the discharge of these Subterranean Damps which disgorgeth Flames of Fire and Stones of great Weight and Substance Showers of Sand and Rivers of melted Minerals and yet these Mountains by those Vulcano's lose nothing of their Height or Magâ—itude all these Eruptions being Recruited out of the great Magazine of Natural Gun-powder contain'd in the Infernal Vault Besides these Damps of a Fiery Natore contain'd in the Interior parts of the Earth there are others which sometimes happens in the Exterior parts of it such as those Fiery Damps in Colleries are only the Perspirations of Sulphur and Nitre out of the Cole Wall or Mine Collected into a Body and these either take Fire at a Candle or like so many dry Exhalations receiv'd into the Body of a Cloud and discharge like Thunder shakes the Earth about the Collery kills the Miners and have other Dreadful â—ffects To these we may add those Preter-natural Ebullitions and Eruptions of Subterranean Waters which Moses calls the Breaking up of the Fountains of the great Deep And these whenever they happen upon the Earth as at Noah's Flood are occasion'd by an Universal Fermentation and Dilation of the Central Fire which gaining ground upon their Fluid Neighbours force them into a most Rapid Motion through all the Subterranean Veins and consequently causeth those vâ—olent Eruptions of Water in all the Springs Rivers Joints and Fissures of the Earth Sometimes the Circulation of the Subterranean Waters stagnates and sinks down into the Interior parts of the Earth the Springs and Rivers dry up as in the days of Elisha and this is occasion'd by the stifling and damping of the Central Heat the Circumambient Waters prevailing upon it Sometimes the Circumbient Air which Circulates in the Exterior parts of the Earth especially the Caverns Joints and Concavities of Rocky Stones and other Metals and is the only cause of the Eruption and Motion of Springs Rivers c. Damps and Stagnates which forceth the Springs and Eruptions of Waters to stand back and fill those Caverns and Joints from whence they flow until the weight of the Waters break the Damp or rather Damm of Stagnated Air and then follows Eruptions and Overflowings of Springs Rivers c. This kind of Damps I have met with sometimes in Colleries where the Water made way for it self in such Joints and open Closers as it met with in the under Cills especially Lime-stone which is of all Stone the most Jointy and Open. And when the Air in these open Joints and Cavities was dampt the Waters stood back in the Working and forc'd the Mines out of the Pit until the weight broke the Damp and then the Waters Drain'd This Damp most frequently happens in the Summer Months when the Ambient Air is Thick with Hot and Piery Exhalations and the Effluvia of sweet Blossoms especially of Peas and Beans And this the Miners call the sweet Damp. This Stagnation and Damping of the Subterranean Air is in all probability the cause of the Annual Over-flowing of the River Nilus the Horary Overflowing of the Spring at Gigleswick in York-shire the Drumming in the Well at Bautry c. And these being by Men of Learning reckon'd among the Magnalia Naturae we shall enquire more particularly into the Causes of them And first of the Over-flowing of Nilus Nilus is one of the Noblest Rivers in the World and is famous not only for the long Course it takes through Ethiopia and Egypt which is suppos'd to be Three thousand Miles before it empty's it self into the Miditerranean Sea but also for its Over â—lowing and Fertilizing that Low and Level Country supplying in it the want of Rain 'T is believ'd by Men of great Learning that this Yearly Over-flowing of that Country is ocâ—â—sâ—on'd by the great quantities of Snow dissolv'd
violent an Ebullition and Commotion in it as to raise the Cover and overturn it yet it cannot be suppos'd that either that uniform and constant Fire or Heat disseminated through the Body of the Earth or the external Heat of the Sun 's warm Influence can produce any such Effects because Fire and Nitre do Naturally exert their power upwards and side-way but never downward but when it is so pent up that it can get no other Vent And when even Gun-powder is forc'd to make its Effort upon the Waters the strength of its Flatus does little Execution being presently stiâ—l'd We shall therefore suspend further Enquiry about this matter until Dr. Woodward's larger Volume be made publick and endeavour to find out some other Causes by which that Universal Deluge which happen'd in Noah's time might be effected in an other way and grounded upon fair probabilities of Reason and Certainty First then no doubt but God Almighty was the Principal Cause the Sins of Mankind the provoking Cause and the Subterranean Superterranean and Nubiferous Waters were the immediate Instruments of it But how all these divided Waters shou'd be re-united and gather'd into such a Body as was sufficient to cover all the Tops of the Mountains Fifteen Cubits high as Moses gives Account is the only matter of difficulty to be â—ncounter'd In Order to which I shall not Entertain you with a long Story of the Opinions of Learn'd Men about it not undertake to shew you upon what improbable Grounds and inconsistences the Theorist and Dr. Woodward have establish'd their Hypothesis of it but having discover'd a Vast and Porâ—entous Body of Water Circulating in the Veins of the Earth bearing Proportion as I have observ'd to Seventy-two Oceans and several Oceans of Water more floating in the Clouds and rarisied into thin Air thaâ— it might be a sit Medium for Respiration c. my Adventure shall be â—irst to shew how and by what Cause the Subterranean VVater was rais'd above Ground and the thin Air was condens'd into VVater how both join'd with the Sea and caus'd the Deluge And then Secondly I shall give Account how the Waters again divided how all things return'd to their Natural Course and by what Gradations the dry Land appear'd And more than this is not necessary to make and establish a clear Hypothesis of the Universal Deluge First then we may conclude from Arguments of the greatest probability imaginable that the collection and reuniting of such a quantity of Water as was sufficient to Drown the World was caus'd by an Universal Damp that happen'd at that time in the whole Course of Nature For First all the Central Fire by a Preternatural Fermentation and Dilation of those angry Volatiles on which it consists gain'd ground upon its Fluid Neighbours those Subterranean Waters which circulate in the Body of the Earth and forcing them into a most rapid Ebullition and Commotion caus'd most violent Eruptions in all the Veins Joints Fissures and Hyatus's as well under the Channel of the Sea as in all the parts of the Earth's Surface These violent Eruptions of the Submarine and Subterranean Waters which Moses calls the breaking up of the Fountains of the great Deep swell'd up the Sea into such a height of Gibbosity that it forc'd the Rivers to stand back and rise as high as their Fountain Heads which covering all the dry Land excepting the Tops of the highest Mountains the Aerial Damp caus'd by the Moon 's waterish Vertex pressing down the Vortex or Atmosphere of this Terraqueous Globe did not only interrupt the Communication of the Subterranean and Aerial Waters by causing the raising and circulation of Vapours to cease but also by condensing the moist Air into waterish Clouds which falling down in continual Spouts for Forty Days and Nights together the Air being without Motion consequently neither able to break nor support them the Tops of the highest Mountains were cover'd Fifteen Cubits as Moses gives Account Gen. 7.15 and these portentous Rains which fell in Spouts Moses expresseth by the opening of the Windows of Heaven Gen. 7.11 Thus the divided Waters being reuniâ—â—d as they were in the Creation and the circulation of Vapours broken by the stagnation and damping of the Aerial Regions the whole Surface of the Earth was cover'd until God caus'd a Wind to pass over the Earth which breaking the Aerial Damp the Rain ceased the Subterranean Waters sunk down into their Veins recover'd the Ground which the Central Fire had gain'd from them The Rivers forc'd the Sea to retreat back to her own Channel and returning to her regular Flux and Reflux the Vapours arose and repair'd the Air again wiâ—h Clouds and Moisture and all things return'd to their Natural Course Iâ— cannot be imagin'd how the Heart of Noah and his Family was reviv'd when the Sun began to shew its Face again and the Rain-Bow appear'd in a broken Cloud For Noah being undoubtedly as well a Natural Philosopher as a Priest in his Family the appearance of a Rain-Bow which after a long Storm is an infallible sign of Fair-weather cou'd not but encourage him with hopes that the Damp was broken and the Storm over God therefore made a Covenant with Noah and his Posterity that there shou'd never be an Universal Deluge upon the Earth Gen. 9.23 and to establish this Covenant withâ—him he made the Rain-Bow being a Waterish Meteor and after a Storm a sign of Fair-weather a most proper and significant Sign and Seal of that Covenant viz. a Sign commemorative of the past Deluge and a Seal confirmative that there shou'd never be any more Flood to destroy the Earth And no more than this seems to be meant by the appearance of the Rain-Bow in the Cloud CHAP. XXI Of the Season of the Year when the Deluge happen'd DR Woodward declares his Opinion that the Deluge comâ—enc'd in the Spring Season in the Month we call May but upon what Reason he grounds this Conceit I cannot easily apprehend For the Fruits of the Earth being then but Growing and the former Autuâ—n Seeds being destroy'd by the by past Winter Nature wou'd have been forc'd to a Spontaneous Production of the several kinds of Vegetables as had lost their Seeds And wheâ— the several Species of Animals which were preserv'd from the Flood had liberty to go abroad and seek Food they wou'd not easily have found it in November and December which Months according to his Hypothesis were the Season when the Waters abâ—ted and the Beasts ordeâ—'d to leave the Ark and seek their own Food where â—hey cou'd find it It seems then most probable that the Universal Deluge commenc'd in that Month we call August when the Seeds of all Vegetables were full Ripe and ready to Sow themselves in the Fertile Soil that when the Deluge was over and the dry Land had for some time appear'd and had receiv'd Heat and Incrustation from the warm Influence
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
the Earth we find them lying upon Flaâ—s with a Dibb and Rise the Rise towards the tops of Mountains and the Dibb towards the main Ocean as the Waters left them and forc'd them up when they drew down into their proper Channel The whole Mass of Terrene Matter being thus Compact and Cemented together by the pressures of the circumambient ambient Waters as we press Brick and Tyle in their several Moulds the Central â—ire did by its heat bake and consolidate those Stones Metals Mines and Minerals that were of a fiery nature as well as those of an unctuous and pinguid quality into their several degrees of Consolidation and Induration whilst the Anteperistical Cold together with those petrifying juices of Salt and Nitre which then did abound in all the lax and undigested Strata did petrify those Strata of a Terrene Nature into their several degrâ—es of Induration and Lapidifaction By these Natural Gradations the Earth became fixt upon its Center and â—he Waters a fluid body moving and circulating about it and they both made one Terraqueous Globe of a Spherical and Mathematical Rotundity all the Lines from the Superficies to the Centre being of an equal length Thus the space between the surface of the Waters and the Moon 's Vortex was clear'd of all those Fogs and Mists which ranged about in it And being fill'd with their Air Moses calls it the Firmament of Heaven which made the second Production viz. of space wherein the Under-agents or second Causes had room to work and produce effects of a higher and more noble Nature and Quality CHAP. VIII The division of the lower Waters into Subterranean Superterranean and Nubiferous and by what Gradations the dry Land appeared THO' this great Embrio was ready for birth and to breath in fresh Air yet it could not be deliver'd from this great Bag of Water wherein it was enclos'd by any innate Power it had in it self without a Supernatural assistance The Almighty was pleas'd therefore to play the Midwife and to deliver it by breaking of this great body of Water and by dividing of the sweet from those of a Saline and Brakish Nature For as soon as the intermediate Matter which made the Shell of the Earth was rednâ—'d into Form and Order and the several Strata or Layers of Stones Metals Minerals and Subterrene Earths with their cross-cutting and dividing Dykes Rakes Ryders Veins and Strings or Side-branches had receiv'd from the heat of the Central fire and the petrefying Juices of Salt and Nitre their several degrees of Incrustation Induration and Lapidifaction the thirsty Matter gradually suckt in the thin sweet Water until all its Veins Dykes Cavities and Pores were fill'd and saturated with it The Salt Water being the Sedement of the whole Mass and likewise being too thick to penetrate and pass through the straâ—t Pores and Strainers of the solid and condensed Matter did gradually draw down to its Channel And all the Veins and Pores of the Earth being now Saturated with sweet Water the Subterranean Lympheducts or underground Water-works began first to bubble up and play from the tops of the highest Mountains from whence thâ— Rivers took their first rise and began to form their courses to the Sea and by their rapidity and weight continually pressing in upon her from all sides swell'd her up into a Gibbosity and forâ—'d her into a constant flux and reflux which reciprocation of Motion causing in her a boyling Fermentation the sweet Water does disentangle it self from the Salt and being lighter riseth up in Fumes and Vapours which fly abroad until they be condens'd into Clouds which falling down in showers of sweet Water upon the Earth becomeâ— the Succus Nutritivus of the fleshy paâ—t of it giving not only a vital nourishment to the several Kinds of Animals living on the outer Coat or Skin of it but repairing the Subterranean Waters by preserving them from wasting The Waters being now divided into Superterranean Subterranean and Nubiferous the dry Land appear'd and was gradually prepar'd for being an habitable World CHAP. IX Of the Primeval or Antidiluvian Figure of the Earth DR Burnet in his Theory of the Earth conceits and endeavours to perswade the World that the Primeval Earth was Spherically or Mathematically round without Seas Mountains or any inequalities upon its Surface Which Hypothesis or rather ingenious Conceit seems in the first place to be inconsistent with the Original State of this Materiâ—l Globe which being design'd for a placâ— of Habition for several Kinds of Animals of â— mixt and compounded Constitution whose vital â—lame is nourish'd and maintain'd by a continual respiration of a soft and vaporous Air which must not only be frequently fann'd with the brisk gales and blasts of a cleansing Wind but also moistned and sweetned with showers frequently falling through it All which have their Original cause from the constant flux and reflux of the Sea and those inequalities upon the surface of the Earth Without which there would neither have been an Atmosphere Wind Rain or Air but the Superficies of the Earth would have been by the Sun's Beams continually beating upon it Baked and Incrusted into the hardness of Brick and Tyle This Hypothesis seems also inconsistent with the different Natures of those Animals with which the Almighty Creator has been pleas'd to stock it some of which being only produc'd in a Warm and Fertile Soil others only in a Cold and Sterile So some Animals delight only to breath a warm and soft Air others a more bleak and piercing Thus Strawberries and Gilliflowers will not thrive upon the tops of cold and barren Mountains nor Mountain Vegetables in the most fertile Soil or best prepar'd warm Beds This will be made more clear and evident when we shall give account of the natural uses of the Flux and Reflux of the Sea and those inequalities and irregularities of the Earth's Surface Once more to suppose the Earth to have been of an even and Spherical Supersicies seems inconsistent with the different Kinds and Natures of that Matter of which it consists some of which being hard others soft some fix'd others â—luid it cann't be imagin'd that all this variety of Matter would settle in a Figure Spherically and Mathematically round From these Arguments we may without being guilty of any great presumption conclude against Dr. Burnet's Hypothesis that as the Antediluvian Earth consisted of the same Matter with this present Earth and produc'd the same Species of Animals of the same natures and qualities it was of the same Figure that now we find it in a Terraqueous Globe of a Physical Rotundity with Seas Mountains c. And thâ—t these irregularities and Inequalities of this Terrestrial Globe did not Date their Original from that Disruption which was occasion'd by the Deluge as Dr. Woodward positively asserts Part 2d page 80. is evidâ—nt from part 6. Page 246. where he undertakes to prove that the Face of the Earth
where the solid Beds of Stone are weak and broken and lye near day and where they may easily thrust their Roots into their broken Joints and suck in the Mineral Spirits c. CHAP. XII Of Mountains their Original Cause Consistences and Natural Uses being the first Dry Land that appear'd THE Mountains are the Ebullition oâ— Matter occasion'd by the Central Fire when it was in its â—ull Strength and Vigour They consist of such Strata of Stones Metals Raggs Chivers Cills c. as are of a Hot quality and these are like so many Hot-beds wherein the several kinds of Ore receiv'd their Conceptions as well as their different degrees of Concoction and Perfection as hereafter will be more fully shewn The Mountains consisting of such Matter as is of a Hot quality and being bound with strong Cills which having a quicker Rise than those upon the Plains do lift up their Heads above the rest of the Earth and became not only the great Pillars and Supporters of the whole Fabrick but the first Sea-Banks that broke the Circulation of the Waters and were the first dry Land that appear'd The Tops of the Mountains reaching aâ— high as the cold Regions of the Air and having but the advantage of a single Râ—flection of the Sun 's Globuli have always a Cold and Condensing Air upon them and striking a Level with the Gibbosity of the Sea do by the Sympathy between Cold and Cold attrâ—ct the Vapours to them which either fall down in Showers of Rain being Condens'd by the rising of the Ground Cold or are rarifi'd into Wind by the falling of the Sphere of Rarefaction which term will be hereafter explain'd when we describe the Nature of Winds All the greatest Dikes and Divisâ—ons of the Earth as I have already observ'd do contract themselves and meet in the Mountains as the Veins do in the Necks of Animals and these being the greater Veins of the Earth by dividing into lesser Veins and Branches maintain and preserve a constanâ— Communication or Circulation of Water through the whole Body And this is the only Reason why the Heads of all the greatest Rivers in the World have their Rise from the Tops or Sides of the highest Mountains which by following of the Windings and Turnings of these greater Dikes or Veins and by receiving into them the lesser Dike-Feeders are increas'd from small Rivulets into large and Navigable Rivers which at the last empty themselves into the Main Ocean The Declivity of the Mountains gives Rapidity of Motion to the Rivers which does not only preserve their Sweetness for the benefit of Men and Beasts but also by pressing upon the Sea from all sides swells her up into a Gibbosity and is the only cause of her Flux and Reflux which the following Chapters will give account of As the Declivity of the Mountains gives Rapidity of Motion to the Rivers so it gives Motion to the Winds and Air For as the Condensation of Vapours causeth an Inundation in the Waters so the Rarefaction of the Vapours and Exhalations causeth an Inundation and Overflowing in the Air And those Lateral blasts of Wind that come so strong upon us are only Waves of the Air and the roaring Noise we oftentimes hear upon the Mountains is only the breaking forth of the Winds upon the still Body of the Air and there putting of it into a rapid Motion which is increas'd by the Descent of the Mountains for Air and Water are the same in Specie differing only in degrees of Thinness and Fludity As the Mountains are the great Pillars and Supporters of the Earth their Foundations all meeting in the Center and Forming that Vast Subterranean Vault which keeps the Central Fire from breaking forth so they are the greatest Ornament of its Superficies giving not only a most pleasant Prospect over the Plains and Valleys but terminating the Visive Faculty with a grateful variety of Objects The Mountains have their Natural Position either in Ridges or Clusters those we see in Clusters intermixt with great Dales Gills and Valleys were at the first settling of Matter all of an even Superficies but their Joynts and divisions consisting of Raff Ragg Chiver and such confus'd Matter without strong Cills or Strata of Stones to bind them together were by great Storms and Tempests of Rain c. but especially by Noah's Flood broken and driven down into the Valleys and from thence into the next adjacent Sea And this is the Reason why some Mountains have a Perpendicular Rise why their Ribs and Sides lye Naked and Frightful threatning to fall upon us and these great Dikes and Joynts are either fill'd with Ponds of Water which afford great plenty of Fish or they are become pleasant Valleys Gills and Dales having a Fâ—uitful Soil and the warmest Sun by reason of its Beams being Reflected from all sides of the Mountains CHAP. XIII Of Mountain Heaths c. THE Mountain Heaths lye upon the Skirts of Mountains towards the Sea their Consistences and several Strata are rather of a Pinguid Bitumious and Nitrous than of a Hot and Sulphureous Quality and they generally lead to Mines of Coals which are the Pneumatick parts of such Strata of Stones and Metals as are their upperCovers the principal and more Pneumatical Ingredients whereof are Bitumen Sulphur and Nitre Bitumen gives the Flame Nitre blows it up and Sulphur gives the Heat Thâ—ir crosâ—-cutting and dividing Dikeâ— consist of tough Clay and a mixture of confus'd Matters These Mountain Heaths were the second dry Land that appear'd for as the Sea did gradually draw down into its Channel its unruly Waves drove up these lesser Hills we see upon the Skirts of the Mountains and forc'd their Strata of Stones Metals c. to have a Rise towards them thereby making a Channel so Spacious as might contain so Vast a Body of Water and keep its Proud Waves within their proper Limits Their Stones Metals c. had their degrees of Incrustation and Lapidifaction from the Central Fire CHAP. XIV Of the Plains and Valley c. THE last dry Land that appear'd was the Plains and Valleys which by the Depression of their Strata sank down into the Channel of the Sea the Consistences of these are rather of a Terrene and Nitrous than â— Pinguid Quality They afford us the best Free-stone as White Grey Red and Yellow these Tinctures and Colours they receiv'd from those different degrees of Concoction they had from the Central Fire and the degrees of Lapidifaction and Induration they receiv'd from the Anteperistical Cold and Petrefying Juices Their Strata have an easie Dibb towards the Sea sometimes not a Yard at fifty for as the Waters divided their Strength abated and the Flat Strata laid more level CHAP. XV. Of the Channel of the Sea c. AS the Valleys sink down gradually into the Channel of the Sea so the Channel is only a spacious
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
upon the Mountains from whence it takes its Rise and these as Geographers give Account are that vast Ridge of Mountains which for their Height bear the Name of Montes Lunae as iâ— their lofty Tops wash'd their Headâ— in the Moon 's Waterish Vortex Others are of Opinion that the Yearly Over-flowing of that River is caus'd by those great Rains which fall every Spring in the higher Ethiopia But if either the Dissolution of Snow or Inundations caus'd by the falling of those Spring-Rains were the true Reason c. they wou'd also cause the otheâ— Rivers in those Countries to Overflow their Banks at the same time which is so far from being Observable that when Nilus Over-flows the otheâ— Rivers are at a very low Ebb. The Cause then of this Yearly Overflowing of Nilus which begins about the 17th of Iune and continues until the 6th of October seems to be a Subterranean Damp which Yearly Stagnates the Circulation of Air in these vast Rocks and open Strata from whence those Rapid Springs and Feeders slow which are the Heads of that Famous River The Subterranean Air being Dampt the Springs and Mineral Feâ—ders are forc'd to stand back and fill all those vast Concavities and Hollows for several Miles upon â—he Side-rise and some Miles upon the Top-rise of those Rocks and Metals until the weight of so vast a quantity of Water which may be compar'd to a lâ—sser Sea breaks the Damp or Damm of Stagnated Air and then the River begins to Over-flow anâ— continues until the Waters be spent and the Damp gathers again It s observ'd that when the River Nilus begins to Over-Flow its Banks that great Plagues break out in Cairo which seems to be occasion'd by those gross Vapours and Mineral Exhalations that arise from so vast a quantity of Stagnated Water which whilst by its Motion its Purging of it self and recovering of its Sweetness fly about corrupt the Air and cause Infections This Subterranean Damp is likewise the cause of the Horary Over-â—lowing of the Spring at Gigleswick in Yorkshire for this Spring bâ—ing the feeder of a Lime-stone Rock near Thirty Yards Perpendicular in Height which breaks out at the Foot of it so oftâ—n as the Circulation of the Air in the Rock is dampt the Spring runs very slowly and when the weight of the Water has broken the Damp it Over-flows and this Flux and Reflux is once in every Hour I observ'd my self that before the Waters began to Flow there was a knocking in the Rock and this was caused by the pressing of the Water upon the Damp before it broke The same is the cause of that Drumming in the Well at Bautry which the Inhabitants of the Town told me never happâ—n'd but against the change of Government This Well is observ'd to be â—or the most part Dry which is occasion'd by the feeders standing back the drumming noise is occasion'd by the Waters pressing upon the Damp and the Hollows of the Well for as soon as the Damp is broken the Well fills wiâ—h Water and the Drumming is over This occasions the Report of Under-ground Spirits which Miners call Mineral Spirits and they observe that these Spirits give notice by Knocking or Groaning before the Mineral Vein be discover'd I have observ'd my self that in a new Collerie when the Workmen were near the Coal and only the Kell which kept the feeder of it unbrokâ—n there wou'd have been a sort of Knocking Sighing or Groaning heard in the Vein which was only occasion'd by the weight of the Water lying in the Coal and pressing forward for more room and liberty for as soon as the Coal was prick'd the Water rose in the Pit the Knocking was over and the Mineral Spirit Conjur'd Of this kind also is that Damp which the Miners sometimes meet with in their sinking of deep Pits and new Works where a Cloud of Breath or Sweat perspiring from the Bodies of the Workmen will stiâ—le the Circulation of the Air and not suffer the Candles to Burn. This Damp will steal 〈◊〉 Breath insensibly from the Workmâ—â— and stiâ—le ' em There is yet another kind of Damp the Miners complain of which they call the foul or stinking Damp and this is caused by the breaking out of corrupted Air from old crusted Works This if not prevented will Kill and Stifle the Workmen The Aerial Damps will be treated upon in Meteorologie Having given an Account of the Causes Natures and Effects of Damps and such Preter-natural Accidents as have and may disturb and interrupt the regular Course of Nature we cannot but make an Enquiry into the Causes of Noah's Flood the Season of the Year when it happen'd and the Alterations and Devastations it made upon the Earth CHAP. XX. Of Noah's Flood its Causes the Season of the Year when it happen'd the Effects and Alterations it made upon the Earth If these two Learn'd Men viz. Dr. Burnet and Dr. Woodward had understood better the Structure of the Terraqueous Globe the Natural Consistences of it the Causes Natures and Effects of Damps and that those Subterranean Waters which Circulate through the Veins of the Earth bears proportion to Seventy two Oceans they woâ—'d have discover'd such a quantity of Water as wou'd have caus'd an Universal Deluge without the Conceit of a Central or Subterranean Abyss Which Hypothesis tho' manag'd with the greatest Artisice of Invention and Oratory when seriously enquir'd into will be found to have very little of Truth in the bottom of it for it seems not only inconsistent with the Original Settlement of Matter as we have observ'd already but also with Dr. Woodward's Hypothesis concerning the re-settling of the fluid Matter dissolv'd by the Deluge which he positively asserts to have been according to the Rules of Specifick Gravity the heaviest subsiding the lowest This Hypothesis if taken for granted we must necessâ—rily conclude from it that all those kinds of ponderous Ore and heaviest Rocks of Iron Stone Marble c. would have sunk down into the Central Vault and fill'd it up That the rest of the Fix'd Matter being by some degree lighter would have spread their Solid Strata uppermost And that the Fluid Waters being by several degrees lighter than the Fix'd Matter would have cover'd the whole Terreâ—e Globe and consequently wou'd have caus'd an Universal and perpetual Deluge upon the Earth But suppose it possible to improve the strength of Imagination to such a height as to fancy that there was Originally and is still a vast Abyss of Hot Water contain'd in the Center of the Earth it cannot be so easily apprehended by what Power or Means this vast substance of Water shou'd be put into so high a degree of Fertâ—entation and Commotion as to cause an Universal Disruption and Dissolution of the Earth as Dr. Woodward conceits for although that Fire placed under a Pot sill'd with Water will by emitting of its fiery Globuli and mingling them with the Water cause so
were produc'd the Air and Water being Transmutable Elements Thirdly From the likeness of their Actions and Qualities the one Kind having Fins by which they Swim in the Water the other having Wings by which they Fly or Swim in the Air. As these were the Productions of the first Spring Months viz. Ianuary February and March so in these Months they do always Propagate their Kinds by laying of Eggs every Species according to its Kind some on Mountains others in Valleys some by Water-sides others in the Woods c. the warm Wing of the Dam now supplying the Want of a warm Sun-beam For as the Wing Hatcheth them out of their Shells so it strengthens and nourishes them by Vital Incubations till their Pinions be able to bear them up to seek their own Food Thus the Wing is both the Midwife that brings them out and the Nurse that brings them up CHAP. VI. Of the Terrene or Viviparous Animals AFter the Production of these Animals of a lower Degree of Life and Perfection and the Sun was advanc'd higher in his Annual Motion which Darting down his warm Beams upon the Earth in a more direct Line they did penetrate deeper into the Cold Matter and by drawing forth its Fertile Spirits towards the Skin or Surface of it they set the Plastick power on working and modifying the Passive Matter into more noble Forms which by their Sympathetical Charms drew down the Specifick Forms of the most perfect Animals within the Second Sphere of Life For in every little Pit or Hollow of the Earth which being fill'd with Luxuriant and Prolifick Slime was kindl'd by the Vivifick Vertue of the Seminal Form a little bubble of Life which the Plastick power began to shape into the Form or Figure of an Animal And thus was the numerous Brood of Quadrupedes being Animals of the most perfect Kind first Conceiv'd in the warm and moist womb of Modified Matter nourish'd by sucking in the Luxuriant and Prolifick Slime which by their Vital Heat they digested and distributed into the several Parts and Members of their Bodies increasing of them by an equal assimulation of Parts and as soon as these young Embrio's had got strength they Crawl'd out of their warm Nests of Matter and began to suck in those Honey Dews and lick up that sweet Manna which laid upon the Grass and Herbs and this supply'd to them the want of Maternal Milk and Nourishment For during the time of these Productions God neither suffer'd it to Rain upon the Earth nor the Winds to blow lest this Infant Brood of Young Animals shou'd have been destroy'd before the Birds got Wing or â—he Beasts Foot and strength to defend themselves against a Storm but there went up only a Mist from the Earth which water'd the whole Face of the Ground And this Mist was only a warm and moist Smother which arose from the Earth as we observe it to rise from the Furrows in the Spring Months occasion'd by the Morning Sun-Beams and these Clouds which did Swim in the Air only serv'd for Umbrello's and Parasoli to screen those Infant Animals from being scorch'd by the Heat of the Sun and from drying up their Food and Nourishment The Earth being now Stock'd with the several Kinds of Animals contain'd under the Sensitive Genus they did Propagate their Kinds by Univocal Generation For which end Nature and Providence hath form'd several Vessels of Slime-Pits in every Female for preserving something Analogous to that Original Slime which was then the Passive Principle of Generation and likewise in every Male such Vessels as are most fit and commodious for preserving a Beam or Spark of the Aetherial Flame which being the material Vehicle wherein the Specifick Form is preserv'd kindles the first buble of Life in the Passive Matter And we observe that as soon as Age and Maturity hath fill'd these Seminal Vessels with this Prolifick Slime and digest'd it into a right Degree of Heat and Temperature the Females of every Kind or Species of Animals begin to Prune Dress and Trim themselves by which modest way of Courtship the Male is drawn and Charm'd to within their Sympathetical Spheres Thus the Evening and the Morning or the Sympathetical Union of the Active Form and Passive Matter made the Fifth Production CHAP. VII Of the Creation of Man the Sixth Production THE Earth being now cover'd with the great variety of Species contain'd under the Genus of Vegetation the Waters replenish'd with all Kinds of Fish the Mountains Plains and Valleys Stock'd with Herds and Flocks of all Kinds of Cattle God did once more Modifie the Passive Matter into a more noble and excellent Form not only capacitated to receivâ— the lower Degrees of the Animal Life but also fitted with Organs to entertain an Intellectual Soul which Moses â—ells us God Breath'd into it It being impossible for Matter tho' never so curiously Modifi'd by the Plastick Spirit of Nature and the joint Concurrence of the Coelestial Influences to draw down by the power of any Material Sympathy a Soul out of the Immaterial and Intellectual Spheres of Life to Animate and Enform it And this Noble Creature God call'd Man being made not only after his own Image Spiritual and Immortal but also after his Similitude viz Endow'd with all the Affections and Communicable Attributes of the Divine Nature by which he became capable not only of disclosing the Secret Mysteries of Nature and of diving into its Deep Philosophy but also of Knowing and Adoring his Creator by which Perogatives of his Birth and Noble Extraction he became Qualifi'd for being his Creator's Vicegerent upon Earth The Conclusion Wherein is shewn the meaning and significancy of these Words And God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good THat God who is Infinite in Goodness and all Perfections cannot be the Author or Producer of any thing but what is Good and Perfect in its Kind hath been always assum'd as a granted Principle not only by the best of Divines but even the generality of Pagan Philosophers Yet Moses notwithstanding this foreseeing that this excellent Frame of the World which was design'd on purpose to bring all reasonable Creatures to the Knowledge and Veneration of their Creator wou'd be perverted to contrary Ends and Effects and that the Production of all the Creatures might be ascrib'd wholly to Second Causes or to no Cause at all but to Chance and to the casual Motion of Mattâ—r for the prevention of which he here brings in the Almighty more Humano taking an exact View and Survey of the whole Creation both as to its Structure and Furniture and giving it his Divine Approbation in these words and he saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good The Goodness of the Creatures do Principally consist in these Four Particulars In their Correspondency and Agreement with those Patterns and Ideas preconceiv'd in the Divine Understanding In their Fitness and
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
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