824 On Tlaneiary Injluences on the Atmosphere. 



of worship which Jewish prophets tnav not be supposed to have 

 adoptcfl, and to which Christian divines may not be allowed to 

 subscribe. Reo;arding those astrological atmospherical observa- 

 tions which have escaped the ravas^es of time, as the fragments 

 of a science which was successfully cultivated in many ancient 

 periods, I presume that the attention of the moderns directed 

 to the changes in the atmosphere, and to the coincident situation 

 of the planets, may improve our meteorological knowledge, and 

 enable us to recover all that was ever known by the sages of an- 

 tiquity. 



The sun is generally allowed to be the exciter of what we call 

 heat in the atmosphere and on our earth ; and it is not requisite 

 on this occasion to inquire whether the sun emits light and heat, 

 or whether it excites them in the body of the air and the surface 

 of the earth. 



The moon is commoulv supposed to have no atmosphere like 

 our own ; but that it has an influence on whatever constitutea 

 our atmosphere is generally acknowledged. 



The influences of the sun and moon are so well authejiticated 

 by the observances on the periodical flow and ebl> of the tides 

 in the waters encompassing our earth, that no differences in 

 opinion exist relative to the ordinary causes and eflfects ; and it 

 may not be unworthy our attention to inquire, whether extraor- 

 dinary ebbings and Rowings arc not imputable to other planetary 

 and sidereal influences. 



No one questions that what is usually expressed by the term 

 attraction operates between bodies of different magnitudes; and 

 confining our attention to what is denominated the solar system, 

 whatever properties or qualities are ordained by the divine 

 Creator to regulate the movements and limit the approximation 

 of the planetary bodies, must be conceived to operate in every 

 part of the space in which they revolve. 



It is of no moment in the present consideration how far the 

 late Rev. J.Wesley was correct in his remark, that astronomer* 

 assuming the mogvifvrles of the heavenly bodies infer their di- 

 itancfti, and assuming their distances infer their magnitudes : the 

 question is, what plausible reason can be assigned whence we 

 mayinfer tliat their relative situations produce those atmospherical 

 changes," the skiey infiuences" to winch we are subjected. 



A small ball freeiy suspended near the side of a mountain is 

 by an luidiscernible influence moved from a perpendicular di- 

 rection, — a small magnet has a property of producing an eflfect 

 not only at a distance through the intervening portion of air, 

 but of manifesting its operation, although s^lass, wood, aAd a 

 variety of other sui)stances, intervene; — yet it is by many regarded 

 a-s incredible that such large bodies as Jupiter and Saturn can 



have 



