OF WINDS. 265 



18. The opening of the firmament and dispersion of 

 clouds are prognostics of winds, before they blow here on 

 earth, which also shows that the winds begin above. 



19. Small stars are not seen before the rising of winds, 

 though the night be clear and fair; because (it should 

 seem) the air grows thick, and is less transparent, by 

 reason of that matter which afterward is turned into wind. 



20. There appears circles about the body of the moon, 

 the suniooks sometimes blood red at its setting, the moon 

 rises red at her fourth rising ; and there are many more 

 prognostics of winds on high (whereof we will speak in its 

 proper place) which shows that the matter of the winds is 

 there begun and prepared. 



21. In these experiments you must note that difference 

 we spake of, namely, of the twofold generation of winds on 

 high ; that is to say, before the gathering together of va 

 pours into a cloud, and after. For the prognostics of 

 circles about, and colours of the sun and moon, have some 

 thing of the cloud ; but that darting, and occultation of 

 the lesser stars is in fair and clear weather. 



22. When the wind comes out of a cloud ready formed, 

 either the cloud is totally dispersed, and turned into wind, 

 or it is torn and rent in sunder, and the wind breaks out, 

 as in a storm. 



23. There are many indirect experiments in the world, 

 concerning the repercussion by cold. So that it being cer 

 tain, that there are most extreme colds in the middle region 

 of the air, it is likewise plain, that vapours for the most 

 part cannot break through that place without being joined 

 and gathered together, or darted, according to the opinion 

 of the ancients, which in this particular is true and sound. 



The third local beginning of winds is of those which are 

 engendered here in the lower part of the air, which we also 

 call swellings or overburthenings of the air ; a thing very 

 familiar and frequent, yet passed over with silence. 



A Commentation. The generation of those winds which 

 are made up in this lower part of the air is a thing no more 

 obscure than this : namely, that the air newly composed 

 and made up of water, and attenuated and resolved vapours, 

 joined with the first air, cannot be contained within the 

 same bounds as it was before, but groweth out and is turned, 

 sind takes up further room. Yet there are in this two things 

 to be granted. First, that one drop of water turned into 

 air (whatsoever they fabulously speak of the tenth propor 

 tion of the elements) requires at least a hundred times 

 more room than it had before. Secondly, that a little 



