236 HISTORY OP 



more fortunate for the inhabitants of the warm coiintncs wherft 

 those breezes blow, than this alternate refreshment, which they 

 feel at those seasons, when it is most wanted. The heat on 

 some coasts would be insupportable, were it not for such a sup- 

 ply of air, when the sun has rarilied all that which lay more im- 

 mediately under the coast. The sea-breeze teniperates the 

 heat of the sun by day •, and the land-breeze corrects the malig- 

 nity of the dews and vapours by night. Where these breezes, 

 therefore, prevail, and they are very common, the nihabitants 

 enjoy a share of health and happiness unknown to those that live 

 much farther up the country, or such as live in similar latitudes 

 without this advantage. The cause of these obviously seems to 

 arise from the rarefaction of the air by the sun, as their dura- 

 tion continues with its appearance, and alters when it goes 

 down. The sun, it is observed, equally diffusing his beams 

 upon land and sea, the land being a more solid body than the 

 water, receives a greater quantity of heat, and reflects it more 

 strongly. Being thus, therefore, heated to a greater degree than 

 the waters, it, of consequence, drives the air from land out to 

 sea ; but its influence being removed, the air returns to fill up 

 the former vacuity. Such is the usual method of accounting 

 for this phenomenon; but, unfortunately, these sea and land 

 breezes are visitants that come at all hours. On the coasts of 

 Malabar,' the land-breezes begin at midnight, and continue till 

 noon ; then the sea-breezes take their turn, and continue till 

 midnight. While again, at Congo, the land-breezes begin at five, 

 and continue till nine the next day. 



But if the cause of these be so inscrutable, that are, as we sec, 

 tolerably regular in their visitations, what shall we say to the 

 winds of our own climate, that are continually shifting, and in. 

 capable of rest? Some general causes may be assigned, M'hich 

 nothing but particular experience can apply. And in the first 

 place, it may be observed, that clouds and heat, and in short, 

 vk'hatever either increases the density or the elasticity of the air, 

 in any one place, will produce a wind there : for the increased 

 activity of the air thus pressing more powerfully on the parts of 

 it that are adjacent, will drive them forward, and thus go on, in 

 a current, till the whole comes to an equality. 



i Buflfoii, vol. ii. p. 252. 



