110 Meteors. 



that the intermediate state of vapour is no 

 other than air ; and that the clouds do not 

 proceed from any distinct fluid in the at- 

 mosphere, but from a decomposition of a 

 part of the air itself, perfectly similar to 

 the rest. 



Granting this to be the case, and we 

 can scarcely hope for a more probable 

 conjecture on the subject, the decompo- 

 sition of the vapour will be easily accoun- 

 ted for. If by any natural process the 

 water can be con verted into air, and if the 

 latter is only water partially decomposed; 

 then, by an inversion of the process, air 

 may be instantly re-converted into water, 

 and will become visible in fog or mist, 

 or be condensed into rain, consisting of 

 greater or smaller drops, according to 

 the degree to which this inverted process 

 is carried. 



It is generally supposed by meteorolo- 

 gists, from all the clouds, fogs, hail, rain, 

 and snow, being electrified, that the elec- 

 tric fluid is the agent employed in the for- 

 mation of these meteors, and that it is this 

 fluid which acts in the re-conversion of 

 air into water. This process may be par- 

 ticularly observed in the summer season, 



