r 4^ ] 



©f late years, the weftern winds have blown with encrcafed vio- 

 lence. From that fingle principle an anfwer may be deduced to 

 all thefc interefting queftions. 



It is a matter well known, and eafily to be explained, that the 

 furface of the ocean varies lefs from the mean annual temperature 

 of its latitude than land in the fame parallel * : that is, the furface 

 of the fea is colder in fummer, and warmer in winter, than the 

 furface of the ground in that latitude. 



If then the prevalent winds of any country blow over an ocean 

 fituated in its parallel, that country will relatively be denominated 

 temperate ; it will be free from all extremes ; the heats of fummer, 

 and the colds of winter, will be checked by fea breezes of a con- 

 trary property ; and the land, influenced by the neighbouring 

 element, muft, more or lefs, partake in its equability of tem- 

 perature. 



Such is the cafe in almofl all the iflands of the world ; and fuch, 

 from immemorial ages, has been the peculiar charader of Ireland. 

 Hither come the weftern winds, modified by the temperature of 

 the broad Atlantic ocean which they traverfe in their career : 

 Hither fly the clouds, teeming with moifture colledled in a courfe 

 of three thoufand miles along its furface : and here uniformity 

 of temperature, and redundant humidity, have always been 

 ■jarked as the diftinguifhed charader of our foil. 



Since 



* See Kirwan's Eftimate of Temperatures. 



