lypa. on philosophical geography. 159 



tropical regions. It is thus that while the weather in 

 summer is fine, the wind generally becomes stronger 

 with us as the day advances, and lulls away towards 

 the evening, which gives, to that time of day, the en- 

 effable sweetnefs we have all so often experienced. 



This may be called a faint embrio of the sea breezes 

 of tropical regions. On the more northerly coasts of 

 Greece, the Levant, and the African fhores of the 

 Mediterranean, the sea breeze is distinctly perceived, 

 during the summer season. 



Such are the effects arising from the diurnal changes 

 in our northern climates ; the effects of the annual re- 

 volution are still more sensible. To this cause we are 

 to attribute the prevalence of the west winds, during 

 summer, even in our climate, and the much more 

 marked prevalence of them, during that season in 

 Spain, and France. For the continent of land to the 

 eastward, being much more heated by the long conti- 

 nued action of the sun's rays upon it, during summer, 

 than the waters of the Atlantic ocean, the wind is 

 perceptibly drawn towards the east during that season. 

 But the effects of the seasons, in altering the winds 

 in those countries which approach towards the tropics, 

 are much more powerful than with us. For when the 

 sun approaches the tropic of Cancer, and acts perpen- 

 dicularly, or nearly so, during the whole course of a 

 lengthened day on the countries of Persia, Bengal; 

 China, and the adjoining states, the surface of the 

 land there, at that period, becomes so much more heated 

 than the sea to the southward of it, that the current 

 of the general trade wind is interrupted so as to flow, 

 at that season, from the south to the north, which is 



