CLOUDS AND RIVERS, ICE AND GLACIERS. 81 



bond of union is dissolved, and in the state of fusion the 

 poles are pushed so far asunder as to be practically out of 

 each other's range. The natural tendency of the mole- 

 cules to build themselves together is thus neutralized. 



89. This is the case with water, which as a liquid is 

 to all appearance formless. When sufficiently cooled 

 the molecules are brought within the play of the 

 crystallizing force, and they then arrange themselves in 

 forms of indescribable beauty. When snow is produced 

 in calm air, the icy particles build themselves into 

 beautiful stellar shapes, each star possessing six rays. 

 There is no deviation from this type, though in other 

 respects the appearances of the snow-stars are infinitely 

 various. In the polar regions these exquisite forms 

 were observed by Dr. Scoresby, who gave numerous 

 drawings of them. I have observed them in mid-winter 

 filling the air, and loading the slopes of the Alps. But 

 in England they are also to be seen, and no words of 

 mine could convey so vivid an impression of their 

 beauty as the annexed drawings of a few of them, 

 executed at Greenwich by Mr. Glaisher. 



90. It is worth pausing to think what wonderful 

 work is going on in the atmosphere during the forma- 

 tion and descent of everv snow-shower: what building 

 power is brought into play ! and how imperfect seem 

 the productions of human minds and hands when com- 

 pared with those formed by the blind forces of natu" e ! 



91. But who ventures to call the forces of nature 



