IV PREFACE. 



The result was an instantaneous transition from darkness 

 to light. The moment I saw that a rapidly forming cloud 

 is specifically lighter in proportion as it becomes darker, a 

 thousand contradictions vanished, and the numerous facts, 

 "a rude and undigested mass," which had been stowed a way 

 in the secret recesses of my memory, presented themselves 

 spontaneously to my delighted mind, as a harmonious sys- 

 tem of fair proportion. It is a most fortunate circumstance 

 that the nature of the theory detailed in the first section is 

 such as to bring order out of confusion, and, when the reci- 

 pient has become thoroughly acquainted with the elementary 

 principles on which the theory is founded, to cause all the 

 facts, however irregularly they may be communicated, 

 spontaneously to take their appropriate place in the system. 

 Were it not for this, I should fear, that the immense mass 

 of facts detailed in this volume, if read at all, would be read 

 to very little purpose. 



I recommend the reader to dwell on that part of the In- 

 troduction called the Synopsis, and weigh its contents care- 

 fully, and return to the same paper after he shall have read 

 the body of the work. 



When the summary of the documents of the storm which 

 took place on the 26th January, 1839, was written, it was 

 done under the impression that there would be room for the 

 original documents entire. After it was found that there 

 would not be room, there was not time to write out a more 

 perfect summary. The documents, however, will be pre- 

 served for inspection in the archives of the Franklin Insti- 

 tute of Pennsylvania. 



I have made the "Report" of the French Academy of 

 Sciences a part of my introduction, not merely for the pur- 

 pose of showing the reader, that I have the highest authority 

 on my side for I do not submit to authority myself but 

 to exhibit a beautiful analysis of my theory, by three of the 

 most distinguished philosophers of Europe. 



