436 



THE CHEMISTRY OF CREATION. 



us, while the most violent commotions of the 

 air are wholly invisible, accounts for the dis- 

 position we feel to give to the waters, rather 

 than to the air, the character of restlessness. 



The phenomena of the ocean present, in a 

 number of points, a striking contrast to those 

 of the air. One of the grand causes of atmo- 

 spheric movement was found to be increased 

 and unequal temperature : on the contrary, one 

 of the important causes of movement in the 

 particles of the ocean, though far from the most 

 important, is a diminished temperature. Heat 

 applied to the surface of the 

 ocean can produce little or 

 no movement in its parti- 

 cles; being expanded by 

 heat, and thus rendered 

 lighter, they of course can- 

 not sink, but remain sta- 

 tionary, or nearly so, at the 

 surface. A very simple ex- 

 periment will prove this: if 

 water is poured into a tall 

 vessel nearly to its brim, 

 and a very sensitive thermo- 

 meter be inserted in it, as 

 shown in the cut, so as that 

 the bulb should be just be- 

 low the surface, and then a 



