CATARACTS, ANt) INUNDATIONS. 141 



And the philosophic poet having, thus, peremptorily spurned the 

 common theory, immediately proceeds to unfold his own, which 

 offers a striking consonance to several of the chemical opinions of 

 the present day. He supposes that the elementary principles of 

 caloric are driven together and concentrated by the contraction of 

 the sides of the fountain that takes place upon the return of the 

 evening cold, in the same manner as we now suppose them to be 

 driven together and concentrated by the contraction ihat takes place 

 in the percussion of solid bodies; in consequence of which the 

 water, or whatever other substance may hereby be exposed to such 

 concentrated action, must necessarily become proportionably heated. 

 His words are as follows, which we shall interpret in the language 

 of the translator and annotator from whom we have already quoted. 



Qua2 ratio est igilur? nimirum, terra magis quod 

 Kara tenet circum funtem, quarn ccetera tellus; 

 Multaque sunt ignis prope seniina corpus aqua'i. 

 Hoc, ubi roriferis terrain r.o\ obruit umbris, 

 Ex templo subtus frigescit terra, coitque; 

 Hac ratione fit, ut, tamquum conpressa manu sit, 

 Exprimat in funtem, quae semina quomque habet ignis; 

 Quae calidum faciunt laticis taclum, atque vaporem. 

 Inde, ubi sol radiis terrain dimovit abort is, 

 Et rarefecir, calido miscente vapore ; 

 Rursus in antiquas redeuiit primordia scdes 

 Ignis, et in terrain cedit calor omnis oquai: 

 Frigidus hanc ob rein fit funs in luce diurua". 



Dost thou the cause demand, then ? clearly hence : 

 That round the fountain earth more spongy spreads, 

 And seeds of fire throng ampler : whence, when night 

 Pours oYr the world his clew-distilling shades, 

 The chill'd, 'Contracting soil Lcre strains abrupt 

 As though comprest by fingers, tow'n's the fount 

 Suck seeds profusely, and the bubbling wave 

 Proves to the touch, the (asle, more tepid proves. 

 But when, reverVd, the sun with new-born beam 

 Earth rarefies and quickens, back profound 

 Fly the young fire-seeds to their native haunts, 



