Chap. 38.] CAUSES OP N ATUEAL PHiBNOMENA. 66 



as predicting something very important. But there is great 

 uncertainty respecting the cause of all these things, and they 

 are concealed in the majesty of nature. 



CHAP. 38. (38.) — OP THE AIB AND ON THE CAUSE OP THE 

 SHOWEES OF STONES. 



So far I have spoken of the world itself and of the stars. 

 I must now give an account of the other remarkable phaeno- 

 mena of the heavens. For our ancestors have given the 

 name of heavens, or, sometimes, another name, air, to all the 

 seemingly void space, which diffuses around us this vital 

 spirit. It is situated beneath the moon, indeed much lower, 

 as is admitted by every one who has made observations on 

 it, and is composed of a great quantity of air from the upper 

 regions, mixed with a great quantity of terrestrial vapour, the 

 two forming a compound. Hence proceed clouds, thunder 

 and lightning of all kinds ; hence also hail, frost, showers, 

 storms and whirlwinds ; hence proceed many of the evils 

 incident to mortals, and the mutual contests of the various 

 parts of nature. The force of the stars keeps down all terres- 

 trial things which tend towards the heavens, and the same 

 force attracts to itself those things which do not go there 

 spontaneously. The showers fall, mists rise up, rivers are 

 dried up, hail-storms rush down, the rays of the sun parch 

 the earth, and impel it from all quarters towards the centre. 

 The same rays, still unbroken, dart back again, and carry 

 with them whatever they can take up. Vapour falls from 

 on high and returns again to the same place. Winds arise 

 which contain nothing, but which return loaded with spoils. 

 The breathing of so many animals draws down the spirit from 

 the higher regions ; but this tends to go in a contrary direc- 

 tion, and the earth pours out its spirit into the void space 

 of the heavens. Thus nature moving to and fro, as if im- 

 pelled by some machine \ discord is kindled by the rapid 

 motion of the world. Nor is the contest allowed to cease, 

 for she is continually whirled round and lays open the causes 

 of all things, forming an immense globe about the earth, 

 while she again, from time to time, covers this other firma- 



^ " TJt circumagendo balistae vel fundse impetus augetur." Alexandre 

 in Lemaire, i. 313. 



VOL. I. P 



