Calm and Serenity. If the affertion were true; yet fome perhaps may think, that such a Felicity, as would make Navigation impoffible, is not much to

be envied.

But it's altogether precarious, and has no neceffary foundation neither upon Reason nor Experience. For the Winds and Rains and other af fections of the Atmosphere do not folely depend (as that affertion supposeth) upon the course of the Sun; but partly and perhaps moft frequently upon Steams and Exhalations from fubterraneous Heat, upon the Pofitions of the Moon, the Situations of Seas or Mountains or Lakes or Woods, and many other unknown or uncertain Causes. So that, though the Course of the Sun fhould be invariable, and never swerve from the Equator; yet the temperament of the Air would be mutable nevertheless, according to the absence or presence or various mixture of the other Causes. The ancient Philofophers for many ages together unanimously taught, that the Torrid Zone was not habitable. The reafons that they went upon were very specious and probable; till the experience of these latter ages evinced them to be erroneous. They argued from cœleftial Causes only, the conftant Vicinity of the Sun and the directness of his Rayes; never suspecting, that the Body of the Earth had fo great an ef ficiency in the changes of the Air; and that then

could.

could be the coldest and rainiest season, the Winter of the Year, when the Sun was the nearest of all, and fteer'd directly over mens heads. Which is warning fufficient to deterr any man from expecting such eternal Serenity and Halcyon-days from fo incompetent and partial a Cause, as the conftant Course of the Sun in the Æquinoctial Circle. What general condition and temperament of Air would follow upon that Suppofition we cannot poffibly define; for 'tis not caused by certain and regular Motions, nor subject to Mathematical Calculations. But if we may make a conjecture from the present Conftitution; we shall hardly wifh for a Perpetual Equinox to fave the charges of Weather glaffes: for 'tis very well known, that the Months of March and September, the two Equinoxes of Our year, are the most windy and tempeftuous, the most unsettled and unequable of Seafons in moft Countries of the World. Now if this notion of an uniform Calm and Serenity be false or precarious; then even the last supposed advantage, the conftant Health and Longevity of Men must be given up also, as a groundless conceit for this (according to the Alfertors themselves) doth folely, as an effect of Nature, depend upon the other. Nay further, though we should allow them their Perpetual Calm and Æquability of Heat; they will never be able to prove,

that

that therefore Men would be so vivacious as they would have us believe. Nay perhaps the contrary may be inferr'd, if we may argue from present experience: For the Inhabitants of the Torrid Zone, who fuffer the leaft and shortest receffes of the Sun, and are within one step and degree of a Perpetual Equinox, are not only fhorter lived (generally fpeaking) than other Nations nearer the Poles; but inferior to them in Strength and Stature and Courage, and in all the capacities of the Mind. It appears therefore, that the gradual Viciffitudes of Heat and Cold are fo far from fhortning the thread of man's Life, or impairing his intellectual Faculties; that very probably they both prolong the one in fome measure, and exalt and advance the other. So that still we do profess to adore the Divine Wisdom and Goodness for this variety of Seafons, for Gen. 8. Seed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and fummer

and winter.

VIII. Come we now to confider the Atmofphere, and the exterior Frame and Face of the Globe; if we may find any tracks and footsteps of Wisdom in the Conftitution of Them. I need not now inform you, that the Air is a thin fluid Body, endued with Elafticity or Springiness, and capable See Mr. of Condenfation and Rarefaction; and fhould it be the Air. much more expanded or condensed, than it natural

Boyle of

But

ly is, no Animals could live and breath: it is probable also, that the Vapours could not be duly raised and supported in it; which at once would deprive the Earth of all its ornament and glory, of all its living Inhabitants and Vegetables too. 'tis certainly known and demonftrated, that the Condensation and Expanfion of any portion of the Air, is always proportional to the weight and pref fure incumbent upon it: fo that if the Atmosphere had been either much greater or less than it is, as it might easily have been, it would have had in its low.. eft region on the Surface of the Earth a much greater denfity or tenuity of texture; and confequently have been unserviceable for Vegetation and Life. It must needs therefore be an Intelligent Being that could so justly adapt it to thofe excellent purposes. "Tis concluded by Aftronomers, that the Atmosphere of the Moon hath no Clouds nor Rains, but a perpetual and uniform ferenity: because nothing discoverable in the Lunar Surface is ever covered and abfconded from us by the interpofition of any clouds or mifts, but fuch as rife from our own Globe. Now if the Atmosphere of Our Earth had been of such a Conftitution; there could nothing, that now grows. or breaths in it, have been formed or preserved; Humane Nature must have been quite obliterated out of the Works of Creation. If our Air had not been.

Second

Phyfico

mechani

cal Exp.

Air.

been a springy elastical Body, no Animal could have exercised the very function of Refpiration: and yet the ends and uses of Refpiration are not

ferved by that Springiness, but by fome other unMr. Boyle's known and fingular Quality. For the Air, that in Continua- exhaufted Receivers of Air-pumps is exhaled from tion of Minerals and Flesh and Fruits and Liquors, is as true and genuine as to Elafticity and Density or about the Rarefaction, as that we refpire in: and yet this factitious Air is so far from being fit to be breathed in, that it kills Animals in a moment, even sooner than the very absence of all Air, than a Vacuum it felf. All which do inferr the most admirable Providence of the Author of Nature; who foreknew the neceffity of Rains and Dews to the present ftructure of Plants, and the uses of Respiration to Animals; and therefore created those correfpondent properties in the Atmosphere of the Earth.

quod late

terrarum

ras.

IX. In the next place let us confider the ample Lucret. provifion of Waters, those inexhaufted Treasures of Et mare, the Ocean: and though fome have grudged the ner great share that it takes of the Surface of the Earth, yet we shall propose this too, as a confpicuous mark and character of the Wisdom of God. For that we may not now fay, that the vast Atlantick Ocean is really greater Riches and of more worth to the World, than if it was changed into a fifth Continent;