298 HISTORY OF 



face of the water, and making its way to refresh 

 the shore. It is gentle at first, but increases 

 gradually till twelve, then insensibly sinks away, 

 and is totally hushed at five. Upon its ceasing, the 

 land breeze begins to take its turn, which increases 

 gradually till twelve at night, and is succeeded 

 in the morning by the sea breeze again. With- 

 out all doubt, nothing could be more fortunate 

 for the inhabitants of the warm countries, where 

 those breezes blow, than this alternate refresh- 

 ment, which they feel at those seasons when it is 

 most wanted. The heat on some coasts would 

 be insupportable, were it not for such a supply of 

 air, when the sun has rarefied all that which lay 

 more immediately under the coast. The sea 

 breeze temperates the heat of the sun by day j 

 and the land breeze corrects the malignity of the 

 dews and vapours by night. Where these breezes 

 therefore prevail, and they are very common, 

 the inhabitants enjoy a share of health and happi- 

 ness, unknown to those that live much farther up 

 the country, or such as live in similar latitudes 

 without this advantage. The cause of these ob- 

 viously seems to arise from the rarefaction of the 

 air by the sun, as their duration continues with 

 its appearance, and alters when it goes down. 

 The sun, it is observed, equally diffusing his 

 beams upon land and sea, the land, being a more 

 solid body than the water, receives a greater 

 quantity of heat, and reflects it more strongly. 

 Being thus, therefore, heated to a greater degree 

 than the waters, it of consequence drives the air 

 from land out to sea ; but its influence being re- , 



