All that pours profuse From things, perpetual, the vast ocean joins Paid not, thus ballancing the loss sustain'd, All into air would dissipate and die. Hence, born from things, to things air still returns GOOD. But these opinions continued in the state of vague conjectures, till the matter was explained by the sagacity of Hales, and of those philosophers who followed his illustrious career. It was not till the time of Bacon, who first taught mankind to ⚫ investigate natural phenomena, that the atmosphere began to be investigated with precision. Galileo introduced the study by pointing out its weight; a subject which was soon after investigated completely by Torricelli, Paschal, &c. Its density and elasticity were ascertained by Boyle and the Florence Academicians. Ma riotte measured its dilatability; Hooke, Newton, Boyle, Der. ham, pointed out its relation to light, to sound, and to electri city. Newton explained the effect produced upon it by moisture; from which Halley attempted to explain the changes in its weight indicated by the barometer. But a complete enumeration of the discoveries made upon the atmosphere in general belongs to pneumatics; a science which treats professedly of the mechanical properties of air. The knowledge of the component parts of the atmosphere did not keep pace with the investigation of its mechanical properties. The opinions of the earlier chemists concerning it are too vague and absurd to merit any particular notice. Boyle, however, and his contemporaries, put it beyond doubt that the atmosphere con tained two distinct substances. 1. An elastic fluid distinguished by the name of air. 2. Water in a state of vapour. Besides these two bodies, it was supposed that the atmosphere contained a great variety of other substances, which were continually mix. ing with it from the earth, and which often altered its properties, and rendered it noxious or fatal. Since the discovery of carbonic acid gas by Dr. Black, it has been ascertained that this elastic fluid always constitutes a part of the atmosphere. The constituent parts of the atmosphere therefore are, THE GALLERY OF NATURE AND ART; ; OR, A TOUR THROUGH CREATION AND SCIENCE. BY THE REV. EDWARD POLEHAMPTON, Assisted by Distinguished Writers in the various Departments of the Work: ILLUSTRATED WITH ONE HUNDRED PLATES, FROM NEW DEsigns, DescripTIVE OF THE WONDERS OF NATURE and Art. BENEATH HIM, WITH NEW WONDER, NOW AL VIEWS, IN NARROW ROOM, NATURE'S WHOLE 'WEALTH. IN SIX VOLUMES. VOL. IV. MILTON. LONDON: PRINTED BY R. WILKS, 89, CHANCERY-LANE; SOLD BY CRADOCK AND JOY, PATERNOSTER-ROW; RODWELL, NEW BOND-STREET; UNDERWOOD, FLEET-STREET; AND ALL OTHER BOOKSELLERS. |
