76 ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS 



fleded by the clouds at fun-rifing and fetting, 

 liable to great difficulties ? For, why fhould 

 the particles of the clouds become, at that 

 particular time and never at any other, of 

 fuch magnitude as to feparate thefe colours ? 

 And why are they rarely, if ever, feen tin- 

 ctured with blue and green, as well as red, 

 orange and yellow ? Is it not more credi- 

 ble that the reparation of rays is made in paf- 

 fing thro' the horizontal atrnofphere ? and 

 that the clouds only refled: and tranfniit the 

 fun's light, as any half tranfparent colourlefs 

 body would do in their place ? For, fmce the 

 atmofpher^, as was faid in the laft query, 

 refleds a greater quantity of blue and violet 

 rays than of the reft, the fun's light, tranf- 

 ipitted thro' it, ought to draw towards yel- 

 low, orangp, or red ; efpecially when it 

 paffes thro' the greateft tra£t of air : accord- 

 ipgly, every one muft have remarked, that the 

 fun's horizontal light is fometlmes fo deeply 

 tindured, that ob]ed:s diredly illuminated by 

 it appear of a high orange or even red ; at 

 that inftant, is it any wonder that the colour- 

 lefs clouds refled the fame rays in a more 

 bright and lively manner? It is obfervable, 

 (that the clouds do not commonly afTume 



their 



