OBSERVATIONS OF THE AUTHOR. 303 



caloric is the real basis of lightning ; for it would 

 be a violation of all the rules of philosophizing, 

 to maintain that water is converted into vapour 

 by one agent, and again reduced to water with- 

 out the evolution of the same agent. No so- 

 phistry can evade this simple but rigorous logic. 

 That the rapid precipitation of rain during a 

 thunder storm, is in proportion to the amount of 

 lightning, is attested by all experience and ob- 

 servation. Hence it is that during the fiery 

 tempests of the tropical regions, termed hur- 

 ricanes, more rain is precipitated in a few 

 hours, than during as many months in colder 

 latitudes. 



It may be said that lightning is sometimes 

 unattended with rain : to which I answer, that 

 vivid flashes never occur immediately over head, 

 without a precipitation of rain or hail. This is 

 the most convincing proof, that the caloric of 

 vapour is given out in the condensed form of 

 lightning ; and is that kind of evidence from 

 which there is no appeal, being the spontaneous 

 declaration of nature herself, made in the most 

 sublime and ostensible manner. 



On the 2nd of June, 1 833, the author had an 

 opportunity of observing for himself, that light- 

 ning proceeds from transparent vapour, and not 

 from clouds already formed, as many persons sup- 

 pose. This beautiful display, which was wit- 

 nessed by hundreds of individuals with admira- 



