DR DAVY ON THE RAIN-FALL IN THE LAKE-DISTRICT. 65 



oxidate, rain, especially when acid, which it so commonly is, cannot but have 

 effect, and that of a destructive kind, by promoting rust. 



In this admixture of the beneficial and the injurious, of the restorative and 

 destructive, we have only another exemplification of Nature's agencies, the 

 balance in them generally, as in these specially, turning, we believe, in favour of 

 the good. 



In conclusion, may I venture to express the hope, that this inquiry will be 

 further prosecuted, and in many different and distant stations, near to and 

 remote from the sea, hardly doubting that results will be obtained which, what- 

 ever they may be, can scarce fail to be instructive, and which possibly may 

 throw light on effects, especially of the nature of blights and miasmata, of which 

 our knowledge at present is chiefly confined to the diseases which they produce. 



from the air, even where no rain could penetrate ; for instance, on mosquito-curtains, in an inner bed- 

 room, merely well ventilated. In my work " On the West Indies, before and after Slave Emanci- 

 pation," I have pointed out the tendency to decay from climatic agencies as one of the causes of the 

 neglect of the fine arts in those colonies. 



Lesketh How, near Ambleside, 

 February 8th, 1862. 



VOL. XXIII. PART I. 



