[ 4- ] 



em extremity, nearly coincides with the ftandard afligned tcjr 

 correfpondent degrees of latitude in Mr. Kirwan's ingenious 

 tables *. 



It is further difcoverable, that the general warmth of our ifland 

 is in no refped inferior to that of other countries in its parallel l 

 from whence we are naturally led to conclude that the annual 

 quantity of heat received here, is not lefs, in our day, than it was 

 in former ages. 



If thefe things are fo, it may be denied that there is any fub- 

 ftantial foundation for the frequent complaint of change in our. 

 feafons. The ocean may be agitated by ftorms, fands be drifted, 

 along our coaft, and trees blafted in mountainous and expofed 

 fituations; — but why fhould the farmer lament the diminiflied, 

 ardour, and fhortened period of his fummers ; as if winter pof- 

 feffed more than its natural portion of the revolving year ? 

 Whence fhould arife the gardener's complaints, that his peaches, 

 however fheltered from ftorms, rarely now arrive at maturity, and 

 that his May-duke cherries, even in the moft favoured afpeds,. 

 no longer merit that diftinguifhed title ? 



May I be permitted to affume, as true, the fad which it has 

 hitherto been the purpofc of this paper to demonftrate, and in^ 

 fupport of which the trees, the fands, and the tides of our ifland, 

 fcem to bear confiftent and unequivocal teftimony ; namely that. 



Vol. VI. F of 



•' See Kirwan's Eftimate of Temperaturet. 



