PART XIII

i4m»
EPICURUS.
Or by the burning of fomc dry Cloud, which
crackles like a branch in the fire.
‘ In a word, that this alfo may be explained ‘ fcvcral ways, the things which appear evince ‘ and teach us, that we think not, with.ignorant and fuperftitions perlons,that the noife otThun- der denotes the appearance of fome god, fince other Bodies, being ftruck againft one another, make a found alfo, as Mill-Stones in grinding, or the hands clapped together.
Lefi; any wonder how it comes to p^fs, that Lightning is feen before the Thunder is heard, this may happen, ‘ either for that in fome cer- ‘ tain difpofition of the Clouds, as foon as the ‘ Wind lights upon them, there leaps forth fuch ‘ a configuratidn of little Bodies,as caufeth light¬ ning \ and thereupon the wind, by rolling up and down, maketh this found.
‘Or for that they being both generated toge- ‘ther,the lightning is brought to us with a qnick- ‘ er nimblenefs * the Thunder cometh later, as ‘ happcneth in fome things which are feen at ‘ dillance and make a found by blowes ; for it
fuch a nature, as to be fit to generate this kind ofmoiltuie; or by the bringing forth of lit¬ tle Bodies, which chiefly generate Dew above, when they fo meet together as to make that moifture, and flow down into the places be¬ neath. Many things of this kind are donb a- mongfl; us, efpecially in ftoves.
CHAP. XIV.
Of Hail y Smrv^andFroJl.
/ >
OF watery Concretions,which by impreflioA of cold are congealed into fome folidity, there are two things which are made when the Heaven is Cloudy, Hail and Snow 9 one, whefi it is clear, Froft.
Hail is generated,either when the congelation isftronger, by reafon of the fetling of a cold wind which is on every fide, and prefleth the drippings or drops of the Clouds, which other- wife would
_ . _ _ go away into Rain, or when the
is manifed:, that the ftroak is feen before the congealed bulk el eaveth afunder in many pleaces, found is heard. and by a moderate liquefaftion, watery drops
■ _ _ _ infinuating into the chinks by comprelTion of the
parts,and breaking the whole frame into pieces,
" V_ CHAP. XIII. tbsy caufe that the parts exift compaded feve-
rally by themfelves, and make a heap of frag- Of Rain and Dew. ments, which are thereupon difpcrfed.
That thefe fragments be in a manner round,
WE muftnow fpeakof watery concreti- j nothing hindreth, cither, for that the outmoR:
ons wherof fome continue fluid, others I corners are cut off on every fide, by reafon of acquire fome folidity by the impreffion of cold; their long falling; or, for that in their very
thofe which continue fluid are Rain and Dew, forming, fomthing either watery or windy fur- whereof one is made, the Heaven being cloudy ; rounds all the parts evenly, as we faid, fothat the other, when it is clear. their furface is round, and not uneven.
Rain may be made of the Clouds,either when Snow happeneth to be made either by thin being thinner than ordinary, the wind driving water poured out of the Clouds, fo that it them, or they prelTing upon one another, are froaths, (fome Clouds fit for that purpofc prefT- fqueezed together,and knit into drops ;or when ing, and the winds blowing them abroad,) and being thicker than ordinary, they are rarifi’d is afterwards congealed in the very Motion, by and changed by heat or by the wind ? or, like reafon of fome more vehement cold in the low- Wax, melt fo,that they fall down in drops. I er places of the Clouds.
That there are feeds of Water contained in Or by fome fmooth congealing, caufed in the the Clouds, is fo well known, that we need not Clouds 5 unto which, whilfl: the little watery fpeakof it. Theyafcend together with Clouds, Bodies, comprefled by, and neighbouring to,onc they encreafe together with them, and are dif- another, arrive,there is caufed an aggener^tion perfed thorough them, as blood through the 1 of fuch loofnefs, as the flocks of Snow have, parts of our Body. Neither doth there afeend whereas, the fame driving one another caufe inoifiure into the Clouds from all Rivers only, Hai), which two things chiefly are made in the bat the Clouds alfo which hang over the Sea re- 1 Air.
ceive moifture, like a fleece of wool. 1 It may alfo be, that a»kind of ejaculation of
Whefefore Rain may flow from the Clouds, tbe Snow, which falleth down in heaps, may either when the force of the wind thrufteth the be made, the Clouds, which were firft congeal- Cloudsup together, and great ftore of fhowers ed, breaking in afunder. being rarfed above them, prefleth andthrufts Laftly, Froft is made of the fame little Bo- them ; or when the Clouds by the power of the | dies as Dew, when&s the little drops of Dew winds are rarifi’d, and fuffer their moifture to flow abroad ; or by the heat of the Sun are fo diflblved, that they fall down in drops, and, as I faid, like melting wax.
It may happen, that Rains fomtimes laft a long while, becaufe it then happeneth, that ma¬ ny feed's of waters, rifing up to fcveral Clouds, arid difperfed every way, may fupply the Rain.
^ Somtiities alfo the Earth reeking, exhales back * again all the moifture which fhe receiveth.
Dew is made, either by the meeting together of the little Bodies in the Air, which are of
made either way, are by the cold tempera¬ ment of the Air congealed, and in congealing, receive a light compaSednefs.
CHAP.