1816.] Scientifie Intelligence. 85_ 
manner by Dr. Wells, that the theory of this part of meteorology 
seems complete. Whether, however, this ingenious philosopher 
has not gone too far, when he affirms that dew is never deposited 
glass, unless it be colder than the atmosphere, the following 
fact, which I observed accidentally, leads me to doubt. A room, 
which I use as a laboratory, had been shut up for several months, 
in consequence of my illness, and during the whele of that time, 
no fire had been lighted in it. I entered it for the first time about 
the middle of November. ‘The weather at that time was moist; 
but I could perceive no deposition of moisture upon any part of the 
walls, wooden furniture, or metallic apparatus in the room. But 
on removing a green cloth, with which my electrical: machine 
was covered, { found the glass plate covered with a copious dew. 
Now I do not see how the temperature of this plate could hare 
been lower than the wooden and metallic parts of the machine, 
on which, however, there was no dew. The whole machine had 
been covered with cloth, so that the radiation of heat was out 
of the question. I think it probable that when the air of a room 
becomes saturated with vapour, water will be deposited sooner 
upon glass than upon wood or metal, perhaps in consequence of a 
greater affinity between glass and water than between wood or 
metal, and that liquid. At least I do not see how the preceding 
fact can he explained upon any other supposition. Unfortunately 
I neglected to determine the temperature of the glass, the import- 
ance of the phenomenon not having occurred to me till afterwards. 
That of the room was about 43°, 
X. Bibliotheque Britannique. 
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