20 PHILOSOPHICAL EXPOSITION 



The manner in which drops of rain arc formed is 

 this. The cold stratum of air coming in contact with 

 the vapour, condenses into water the minute particles, 

 which coming within the sphere of each other's at- 

 traction, are united in the form of drops. Becoming 

 solid, their weight is increased, and they must de- 

 scend on the fields and flowers of the earth. 



How wonderful, how beautiful, are the works of 

 nature ! How much should we lift our minds to the 

 great Author of such wonders ! How nicely he has 

 adapted every thing to its proper use. If the vast 

 reservoirs of the earth were never emptied by evapo- 

 ration, vegetation would perish from the abundance 

 of water, and on the contrary, if all the waters were 

 drawn off by evaporation, the vegetable kingdom 

 must droop and die. Again, were the vapours which 

 are carried up from the earth always to remain in a 

 state of vapour, the principle or law of evaporation 

 would be of no service ; and on the contrary, were 

 the power of attraction increased, the water instead 

 of coming down fiom the clouds in drops, would fall 

 in solid masses and crush the vegetable creation be- 

 neath its mighty mass. 



Thus, to recapitulate, we find that the water, which 

 we find in the ocean to-day, is to morrow carried up 

 by evaporation in the clouds, and descends in the form 

 of rain, hail, snow, frost, or dew, according to the 

 height which it ascends, and the coldness of the cur- 

 rent of air with which it comes in contact 



