in 1835, at Kendal, Westmoreland. 307 



year 1788 such observations were noted (see Dalton's Meteo- 

 rological Essays, 2d edition), and, with some interruptions, 

 have been continued to the present time. Could such a 

 series of observations be kept in various districts, important 

 deductions might, probably, be drawn from them, which 

 would tend to throw light on this interesting branch of know- 

 ledge. It must be confessed, that, for want of these, the 

 science is obscured, from the absence of data sufficient to do 

 more than deduce general results. It is often matter of sur- 

 prise and regret, that such a number of observers should not 

 be found as would note down the needful particulars, since 

 the employment has many inducements to recommend it : it 

 is simple, and esily performed, without much scientific know- 

 ledge ; it occupies but little time in registering the state of 

 the barometer, thermometer, winds, and rain ; and the in- 

 struments requisite for doing this, except a rain-gauge, are in 

 the possession of most men of leisure. Besides, the different 

 fluctuations of the weather are subjects interesting to every 

 class of the community. No change can take place but what 

 influences, more or less, the agriculturist, the traveller, or 

 the party of pleasure. When we recollect that a slight 

 variation of temperature, or in the weight of the atmosphere, 

 frequently produces a powerful effect on the nervous system, 

 we may see that the invalid is dependent for his comfort on 

 these fluctuations ; and the personal enjoyment of all is often 

 increased or diminished by these ever-varying changes. Not 

 that the nicest observation can influence or modify these 

 changes ; but to observe their causes or effects cannot fail to 

 be highly interesting. 



I have pointed out [VIII. 345.] the difference in the quan- 

 tity of rain taken, in former years, in my gauge and that at 

 Birklands. At the latter place, the quantity for 1835 was 

 50*64 in., being 5*251 in. less than what fell in Kendal, though 

 at so short a distance as one mile, and so trifling an elevation 

 as thirty yards. The difference in the quantity of the two 

 gauges for the last three years is about one twelfth less at 

 Birklands than at Kendal. The amount taken at Kendal 

 last year is nearly 10 in. less than that which fell in 1834; 

 and at Birklands, nearly 8 J in. The weather in 1835 was 

 much wetter than in 1834, there being twenty wet days more 

 in the former than in the latter year. We have not had so 

 many days in which rain has fallen, in any year, for the last 

 fourteen, as in 1835. The average number of wet days in a 

 year may be stated at 182; therefore, we had last year one 

 ninth more wet days than the average. 



The greatest height to which the barometer attains, cal- 

 culating from the monthly averages, is in May and June, and 



