of' the Mediterranean. Wm 



highly corroborated by the following considerations. In the 

 first place, as the earth is the centre and source of electricity, as ' 

 well as of gravitation, and over which the former fluid must be 

 distributed nearly in an equal manner, it is not probable that 

 any of the prominent parts of the earth can ever be long in a 

 minus state, compared with the incumbent atmosphere, when 

 not in much motion ; although the land remaning in its natural 

 electric state may present, in certain places, points of attraction 

 for the discharge of any clouds or vapour passing over it, and 

 being in a positive state of impregnation. The winds from the 

 sea and the southward seem, however, not to contain sufficient 

 electricity to balance that of the land, which they meet with on 

 the northern shores of the Mediterranean, or that of the winds, 

 which blow from any extent of hilly land to the northward ; for 

 they travel over a surface of water, through which they can re- 

 ceive little electric impregnation ; while they become charged 

 with much humidity, which renders them very susceptible of re- 

 ceiving electricity, wherever it is presented in a comparatively 

 positive condition. In tracing these winds to the S. and SE., 

 they are found traversing boundless plains, hot, sandy, and arid, 

 whence no electric fluid can be extricated, nor can they be held 

 to contmn more than keeps their constituent gases together. 

 Arriving in a dry and non-conducting state on the northern 

 coasts of Africa, these southerly currents afterwards sweep over 

 the intermediate sea, and soon, from their high temperature, be- 

 come charged with humidity, which, from want of electric fluid, 

 never gets embodied into regular clouds, but the atmosphere 

 looks thick, hazy, and muddy ; the sudden appearance of which 

 during a northerly wind, is always a sure indication of a change 

 to the southward in a short time. Having reached the coasts 

 of Italy and Greece, and coming in contact with the elevated 

 mountains, these currunts of vapour assume the form of regular 

 clouds ; and, collecting, exhibit the transmission of electric fluid 

 to the succeeding currents of humid air ; which, often suddenly 

 condensing into rain, rapidly increase the south-easterly influx 

 towards the same points, and create such a mass of negative at- 

 mosphere, that all the grander phenomena of thunder, lightning, 

 and torrents of rain, are developed. 



Besides these illustrative instances of the relative electric states 



