INDUCTIVE HABITS. 321 



the beneficial effects of this habitude of heat in the 

 economy of nature. During the summer season 

 a vast magazine of heat is accumulated in the 

 water, which by gradually emerging during con- 

 gelation serves to temper the cold of winter. 

 Were it not for this accumulation of heat in water 

 arid other bodies, the sun would no sooner go a 

 few degrees to the south of the equator than we 

 should feel all the horrors of winter." 



In the same spirit are Mr. Dalton's reflexions, 

 after pointing out the laws which regulate the 

 balance of evaporation and rain,* which he him- 

 self first clearly explained. "It is scarcely 

 possible," says he, " to contemplate without 

 admiration the beautiful system of nature by 

 which the surface of the earth is continually 

 supplied with water, and that unceasing circula- 

 tion of a fluid so essentially necessary to the very 

 being of the animal and vegetable kingdom takes 

 place." 



Such impressions appear thus to rise irresisti- 

 bly in the breasts of men, when they obtain a 

 sight, for the first time, of the varied play and 

 comprehensive connexions of the laws by which 

 the business of the material world is carried on 

 and its occurrences are brought to pass. To dwell 

 upon or develope such reflexions is not here our 

 business. Their general prevalence in the minds 



* Manch. Mem. vol. v. p. 346. 

 W. 5 V 



