fast as to supply the Evacuation made by so swift a Current; so that the Air must necessarily be attenuated, when and where the said Winds continue to blow, and that more or less, according to their Violence; add to which, that the Horizontal Motion of the Air being so quick as it is, may in all probability take off some part of the perpendicular pressure thereof; and the great Agitation of its Particles, is the Reason why the Vapours are dissipated, and do not condense into Drops, so as to form Rain, otherwise the natural Consequence of the Airs
- Why cæteris paribus the Mercury stands highest upon an Easterly or North-Easterly Wind? This happens because that in the great Atlantick Ocean, on this side the thirty fifth Degree of North Latitude, the Westerly and South-Westerly Trade-Winds blow almost always; so that whenever here the Wind comes up at East and North-East, 'tis sure to be checked by a contrary Gale, as soon as it reaches the Ocean; wherefore, according to what is made out in our second Remark, the Air must needs be heaped over this Island; and consequently the Mercury must stand high, as often as these Winds blow. This holds true in this Country, but is not a general Rule for others, where the Winds are under different Circumstances; and I have sometimes seen the Mercury here as low as twenty nine Inches, upon an Easterly Wind, but then it blows exceeding hard, and so comes to be accounted for by what was observ'd upon the third Remark.
- Why in calm Weather the Mercury generally stands high? The cause hereof is, as I conceive, that it seldom freezes but when the Winds come out of the Northern and North-Eastern Quarters, or at least unless those Winds blow at no great distance off; for the Northern Parts of Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and all that Tract from whence North-Eastern Winds come, are subject to almost continual Frost all the Winter; and thereby the lower Air is very