of Rain at different Heights. 129 



which dud feems to be attrafted from the cir- 

 cumambient air. 



Now we know that the rain, even in our hot- 

 ted days, comes from a very cold region. Its 

 falling fometimes in the form of ice, (hews this 

 clearly; and perhaps even the rain is fnow or 

 ice when it firft moves downwards, though 

 thawed in falling : and we know that the drops 

 of rain are often eleftrified : but thofe caufes 

 of addition to each drop of water, or piece of 

 hail, one would think could not long continue 

 to produce the fame efFeft ; fince the air, 

 through which the drops fall, muft foon be 

 ftript of its previoufly diflblved water, fo as to 

 be no longer capable of augmenting them. 

 Indeed very heavy fhowers, of either, are never 

 of long continuance; but moderate rains often 

 continue fo long as to puzzle this hypothefis : 

 So that upon the whole I think, as I intimated 

 before, that we are yet hardly ripe for making 



one.'* 



Vol. H. K Specula- 



