242 THE NOBLE SCIENCE. ' 



would be tedious to enumerate, not a doubt is left upon 

 my own mind, that the dew is an exhalation from the 

 earth, occasioned by the warmth of the sun. We see 

 little, if any, dew in cloudy weather; but always the 

 most after the hottest days ; and, as a matter of course, 

 in the mornings preceding the hottest days, from the 

 accumulation through the night. The first appearance, 

 and the greatest collection of dew, is, invariably, observ- 

 able upon water-meadows, and on the surface of damp 

 ground most liable to such exhalation ; if it descended, 

 why should it not fall equally upon the most arid soil ? 

 But I am willing to admit that there are instances of the 

 total absence of dew after the hottest days ; in short, I 

 do not pretend to the proof of my position, or offer 

 more than my own inference from observation upon a 

 point which has puzzled philosophers. All I mean to 

 say is, that the top of a gate may be wet with dew, and 

 the under side dry, without any proof that some under 

 current of air did not assist the rapid ascent of the dew, 

 till, after attaining a certain elevation, it could make a 

 deposit upon the gate-top. 



At all events, I will take upon myself to say, that 

 dew, whether it rises or falls, can have no prejudicial 

 effect upon scent. If dew is to be taken as an excuse 

 for the loss of an afternoon fox, there can be little use 

 in cub-hunting of an evening, or in turning out in the 



