476 



Lift of New Publicatims. 



[Dec. r, 



fpecific gravity than ether, to fwim upon 

 its furtace. The refults of the experi- 

 ment weic not perceptiljly dilFerent when 

 alcohol was fubltituted in the place of 

 ether. 



" The obje6ts which are before our eyes 

 from Ihe earlieil periods of our lives fel- 

 dom employ our meditation, and not of- 

 ten our attention. We foe, without fur- 

 prife, immenfe maifcs of durit raifed by 

 the wind, and carried to great diltauccs ; 

 and at the fame time we know that every 

 particle of this powder is really a Hone, 

 almoft three times as heavy as water, and 

 of a lize fo conlldcrable, that its form 

 may be perfecitiy leen by means of a good 

 microfcopc. And we fee alfo, without 

 furprife, that water, which is much lighter 

 than dud, and is compofcd of particles 

 incomparably iimiller, is not carried alF 

 by the winds in the fun)c manner. 



" In order to convince ourfclves that the 

 particles of water do ftrongly adhere 

 to each other, and that they require to do 

 fo in order to prevent the f!,reateft confu- 

 fion in the univerle, we need only figure 

 to ourfelves the inevitable conicquences 

 that would refult from the want of liich 

 an adhefion. The particles of wwtcr 

 ■would be raifed and carried olf by the 

 tvinds witli infinitely more faciUty than 

 the fineft and hghtelt dull. Every llrong 

 breeze fetting in from the ocean would 

 bring with it a great inundation. Navi- 

 gation would be imiioiiible, and the banks 

 of all the feas, lakes, and large rivers 

 ■would be uninhabitable. 



" The adhefion of the particles of water 

 to each other is the cnufe of the profcr- 

 'vation of that liquid in malfos. It covers 



the furface with a very firomi; pcllicl*, 

 which defends and prevents it from beinn- 

 difperfed by the winds. Without this 

 adhefion, -water would be more volatile 

 than ether, and mere fugitive than duft. 

 But the adhefion is alfo the caufc of other 

 phenomena, which are of the greatell 

 importance in the phenomena of nature. 

 The vifcidity which refults from the mu- 

 t-Ltal adhefion of the particles of water 

 renders this fluid proper to hold ail kinds 

 of bodies in folution ; as well the moll 

 heavy as the lighted ; provided alwa-\'« 

 that they be reduced to very minute par- 

 ticles. 



" It has been found by a calculation, 

 founded on fatts which appear to be de« 

 rilive, that a lolid fpherule of pure gold, 

 of the diameter of one 300,000th of an 

 inch, would be fufpendcd in v\ ater by the 

 etfert of its ^ifcidity; even though tliij 

 fniall body (liould be completely wetted 

 and fubnierged in a tranquil mai's of the 

 fluid. This vifeidity, or want of perfeCjt 

 Huidity, which cauies it to hold everj 

 kind of fubftance in folution, renders it 

 eminently proper to become the vehicle 

 of nourilhment to plants and animals ; 

 and we accordingly fee, that it is exclu- 

 iively employed in this ortice. If the ad- 

 hefion of the particles of water to each 

 other were to ccafe, and the fluidity of 

 this bodv were to become perfe6t, every 

 living being would perilh by inanition. 

 ]\Tay I be permitted (fays the Count) to 

 remark the fimplicity of the means em- 

 ployed by nature in all her operations. 

 iVIay I be permitted to cxprefs my pro- 

 found admiration and afloration of the 

 author of fo many wonders !" 



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AGRICULTURE. 



A TREATISE on Forming, Improving, and 

 M.maging Country RefidKncie;, ; and on 

 the choice of Situation apprapriate to every 

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BIOGRAPHY. 



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