272 CORRESPONDENCE OF RAY. 



those Justus atmosphere, or air-tides, to which my .last 

 referred, and those sundry variations of the air, and 

 effects considered in meteorology, which possibly may be 

 found to owe their origin to, and to depend upon, those 

 opposite pressures proceeding from parts central and cir- 

 cumferential acting and reacting upon one another. As 

 for the vigour I noted to attend the diurnal motion of the 

 earth about its axis, toward the moon, in the southing . 

 and anti-southing senaries, I am by many observations 

 inclined to think, that it comes from the terrestrial effluvia 

 in those times at liberty to flow forth more plentifully. 

 And consequently the abatement thereof .in the ebbing 

 senaries is from advantage then coming to the circum- 

 ferential pressures, at liberty to repress these effluxes 

 from within the earth. 



Fourthly, culinary and vital fires, both which kinds 

 move a centra ; particularly life, as to its nature, original 

 progress, state sane or morbose, decay and dissolution, 

 may have some light from a nearer and accurate inspection 

 into these. Sir, my narrow and but late observation, and 

 that much interrupted, supplies me with enough to make 

 a volume upon this noble subject. 



But if there be anything worth regard in what I here 

 offer, he to whom I write will see it without large dis- 

 courses : and if there be nothing, I have in this already 

 said too much. I am, &c. 



Chedsey, near Bridgwater, Jan. 20, 169-^. 



P. S. Lately reading Mr. Leweng's ' Observation of 

 Scales in our Skin,' it gives me occasion to reflect upon 

 the wisdom of Nature, in providing for the regulating of 

 transpiration. That the circumferential pressure may 

 not hinder it too much, fishes, in their elements, need a 

 stronger and larger scale than we do in ours. 



NOTE. This hypothesis its learned author applies in 

 his following letters to the solution of divers phenomena, 

 as magnetism, the variations of the weather, the tides, and 



