lis On Atmospheric Phcenomena. 



enough to float above the highest clouds. The first of the 

 three other states is ice ; the second is hquid; the third, which 

 is quite temporary, is vapour ; for, as soon as the supply of 

 heat by which it is raised from the earth is withdrawn, it 

 condenses, and returns again to the state of water. 



When the sun raises vapour and there is no electricity in 

 it, as soon as he sets the water begins to fall down in dew : 

 if there is a little electric fluid with it, it falls very slowly, in 

 the form of fog : if there is more, it remains pendent in the 

 air a little above the earth, and cannot fall: if there is a 

 greater quantity, it rises up to form compact clouds : if more 

 highly charged, it will take the highest station : and if a still 

 larger quantity of electricity be present, it will be dissolved 

 by the redundant electricity, and form aqueous atmosphere, 

 as in Observation II. If this opinion be well founded, it 

 will follow that the atmosphere is composed of air at the sur- 

 face of the earth, but in the higher regions, above the clouds, 

 partly of water highly rarefied by electricity. It is well 

 known that bodies charged with the same electricity repel 

 each other ; and therefore I infer that each particle of water 

 has an atmosphere of electricity round it, which totally pre- 

 vents its touching any other particle, and thus renders any 

 assemblage of them light enough to float in such an elevated 

 part of the atmosphere. This agrees with Observation I., 

 and seems, in some measure, proved by it; for how other- 

 wise can it be accounted for, that out of a transparent atmo- 

 sphere such immense clouds should be formed as those which 

 accompany thunder storms ? 



Each particle of water that rises from the earth to form a 

 cloud, or the aqueous part of the atmosphere, mounts a little 

 way only by the help of the sun, but attains its highest ele- 

 vation in consequence of that charge of electricity which at 

 first repelled it from the earth remaining undiminisiied ; 

 which renders it light enough to float in the air. If this 

 char""e is moderate, it forms cloud ; if it is strong, it forms 

 a portion of the atmosphere, and attains a suitable elevation. 

 From this may be inferred the cause of the rise and fall of 

 the barometer ; for, in fine weather, the electric state of the 

 earth and air being the same, they are constantly repelling 

 2 eacl\ 



