PROCESS OF GASSIFICATION. 189 



other liquids, owing to the mkmte division to 

 which the particles, of which they are com- 

 posed, are susceptible, become acted upon, and 

 changed from a liquid, to a gaseous ; from an 

 inelastic, to an expansible, state ; leaving wet 

 places dry and dry places fissured and cracked; 

 making fogs and clouds undergo a transmuta- 

 tion, from moisture to dryness, from opacity to 

 transparency, from inertness to motion, from 

 precipitation and fall, to suspension and dissi- 

 pation, ---from capacity to power. It is during 

 this gaseous and gassified state of the atmosphere, 

 in which it may be said to exist, in its most perfect 

 state of purity, and of perfection. Although it 

 virtually upholds, and contains, at that time, a 

 larger quantity of evaporated matter, which 

 before was opake and dense; that it is actually 

 most rare and transparent and with a larger 

 quantity of matter, which was incompressible, 

 inelastic, and moist; that it is most elastic, 

 compressible, and dry ; and most congenial to 

 the nourishment and support of animated beings 

 in general ; and to answer the other various 

 purposes for which it is designed, by the will of 

 the Almighty. 



Various attempts have been made to ascer- 

 tain the quantity of water which has been eva- 

 porated, and gassified, from a given surface. 

 Dr. HALLEY calculated, that the evaporation 

 which took place from the surface of the Me- 



