Receiving to Give Again 



and who troubles himself to think what the 

 " drying up " means ? Particle by particle the 

 spilt water will creep softly away, not as a liquid 

 but as a vapour, into the atmosphere, there to 

 float, hidden from sight, and to be carried hither 

 and thither wherever the air may be moving. 



Had such a thing never been seen before, it 

 would arouse the wonderment of every thoughtful 

 mind in Europe. But miracles of daily occur- 

 rence cease to be miracles. 



Some few solids, such as camphor, have the 

 same property of passing slowly out of sight into 

 the air, though it is a much slower process with 

 camphor than with water. Snow and ice also, 

 when there is no thaw, dry off gradually. I 

 have known a whole slight fall of snow disappear 

 thus, without any thaw. 



Vapour is always present in the air ; some- 

 times a large amount, as much as the atmosphere 

 is able at that particular temperature to hold ; 

 sometimes a less amount, not so much as the air 

 could contain. In the latter case " drying " goes 

 on briskly ; in the former case it languishes, and 

 wet clothes, wet pavements, remain long damp. 



Warm air can hide away a much more abun- 

 dant supply of vapour than cold air; so the 

 hotter and drier the air, the quicker is the 



93 



