thought to foretel wind from that quarter whence the dolphins come; on the contrary, their playing, and throwing the water about, in a rough sea, denotes fair weather: but for most other kinds of fish; their swimming a-top, and sometimes leaping out of the water, denotes rain.

Hogs are so disturbed, affrighted, and strangely affected at the rising of wind, that the country people have a notion, this is the only creature that can see the wind; and inagine it a frightful sight.

Spiders ply their work hard before wind; as if they snatched the opportunity of spinning their webs, before the wind should come to prevent them.

The ringing of bells is heard to a greater distance before rain; but before wind more unequally the sound coming and going, as it does when the wind blows strong.

Pliny delivers it as certain, that trefoil bristles and pricks up its leaves against a storm.

He likewise adds, that vessels containing eatables, will sometimes leave a sweat behind them in the buttery where they stood; and that this prognosticates severe tempests.

ADMONITION.

Since rain and winds have nearly the same common matter; and since some condensation of the air always precedes wind; because the

new-made air is received within the old; as ap pears by the ringing of the shores, &c. the high flight of the heron, &c. and since, in like manner, a condensation of the air always precedes rain; it follows, that rain must have many prognostics in common with wind; for which, the prognostics of rain, should be consulted under the particular history of that meteor.*

SECT. XV.

OF IMITATING THE WINDS; IN REGARD TO THE SIXTEENTH ARTICLE OF THE TABLE OF ENQUIRY.

TRANSITION.

Ir men could but persuade themselves, not to pin their minds down to the sole consideration of the subject they propose; so as to forget every thing else, as little to the purpose; which they subtilize and speculate for ever upon it, as they generally do, in a fruitless manner; they could not be so stupefied as they commonly appear; but would transfer their thought, and, by reasoning, discover many things at a distance, which

But this history is not hitherto extant, that we know of. If proper histories of all the meteors were wrote, though it were in no greater perfection than the present history of winds, they might afford much light to one another.

I

lay hid nearer hand. It were, therefore, proper to transfer the method and conduct observed in the law, to the law of nature; and proceed in natural enquiries with the same sagacity and reasoning, from parallels and similitudes, as we practice in law-cases.*

Bellows, with men, are the store-vessels of wind; from whence we derive it, in proportion to our wants and abilities. The vallies and interstices of mountains, and the open windings and turnings betwixt buildings, are but larger kinds of bellows. The principal uses of bellows, are the animating of fire; and blowing the organ. They act by drawing in the air, to prevent a vacuum, as the phrase is; and driving it out again by compression.

We likewise use hand-fans for coolness, and the making a wind. These impel the air but gently.*

Let the present history serve for an example; wherein all nature and art seems to have been searched, with a view to the subject; and matters brought in for it from every quarter. When all the materials belonging to the subject are thus found, collected, and ranged in their properest order, so as to afford a perfect set of tables, with their axioms; and fully exhibit the thing as it is in nature; then will the enquiry be finished, and not before. See the Novum Organum, Part ii.

+ Add here the common method of winnowing by the gewe-fan; shooting with the wind-gun, &c.

We have already mentioned a method of making rooms cool in summer;* but more curious and exact ways may be discovered, especially if, in the manner of bellows, the air was drawn in at one part, and discharged at another. But the methods at present in use for this purpose, turn only upon compression.

There is a great agreement between the winds of the world, and the flatulencies in the body of man, and other animals: for these also are generated from moisture, and alter with it; as winds and rains do. They are also dissipated, and made to perspire, by a stronger heat. And hence an observation may be transferred to the winds; viz. their being produced from a matter affording a tenacious vapour, that is not easily dissipated; as we find by beans, pulse and fruit; which proves the case also in the greater winds.

In the distillation of vitriol, and other fossils, which are flatulent and explosive, they are obliged to use large receivers, to prevent their being broke.+

The wind made by the nitre in gunpowder, bursting out of a sudden, and blowing the flame

See Sect. VII. Accidental Generations of Winds.

+ Here enumerate the bodies that generate most air by distillation; viz. tartar, tallow, &c. See Mr. Hales's Vege.. table Statics

along, not only equals, but exceeds all other winds; excepting those of thunder.

The force of the wind is compressed in machines, and engines of human invention; as in guns, mines, and powder-houses, when they fire and blow up; but it has not hitherto been experienced, whether if a large quantity of gun-powder were fired in the open air, it would raise a wind, by the commotion of the air, that should last several hours.*

There is a flatulent and expansive spirit concealed in quicksilver; so as to make it, in effect, resemble gunpowder: and a little of it mixed along with gunpowder, makes the powder stronger. The chemists also speak of gold, as if in some ways of preparing, it would make an explosion, almost like thunder.+

A LARGER OBSERVATION.

The motion of the winds is, in many respects, seen, as in a glass, by the motion of the waters. 1. Great winds are inundations of the air, like inundations of the water; both proceeding from an increase of quantity. 2. As waters either descend from above, or flow from the earth; so some winds are thrown down from on high, and some rise up from below. 3. As sometimes in rivers

* As the firing of great guns is said to allay storms. This seems meant of the aurum fulminans.