t6 ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS 



of condenfation ; and confequently fall 

 down with celerity by its weight Co great- 

 ly fuperior to that of air. 



There has perhaps been too much 

 faid upon theories, that in every view are 

 infufEcient. But, in attempting to ac* 

 count for evaporation, it feemed of con- ^ 

 fequence to fhow clearly the neceffity of 

 recurring to fome other caufe than gra- 

 vity, whether adling upon air or water. 

 And, in fearching for the true caufe, a 

 refledlion occurs that promifes fome dif- 

 covery ; which is, that writers upon this 

 fubjedl have overlooked one of its capital 

 branches : They have endeavoured to ex- 

 plain why water, contrary to gravity, 

 continues fufpended in air ; but they have 

 never thought of examining why air, not 

 lefs contrary to gravity, is kept down in 

 water 'J he latter fa<5l is not lefs remark- 

 able than the former ; for, with re- 

 fpedl to timber, and other bodies with- 

 out number, heavier than air, and light- 

 er than water, we find gravity producing 

 its ufual effedl of raifing fuch bodies to 

 the furface of the water. This clearly 



evinces, 



