MifceUanea Curiofa. 



Now fince the railing of the Water of the O* 

 cean 14 Feet, produces Torrents of fuch a pro- 

 digious Force, we may eafily conceive what 

 Tempefts of Winds (if not otherwife check'd) 

 the Elevation of the Air much higher (perhaps a- 

 bove a Mile) will neceflarily caufe. And there 

 is no doubt to be made, but that the fame infi- 

 nitely Wife Being, who contrived the Flux and 

 Reflux of the Sea, to fecure that vaft Collection 

 of Waters from Stagnation and Corruption (which 

 would inevitably deftroy all the Animals and Ve- 

 getables on this Globe) has ordered this Ebb and 

 Flood of the Air of our Atmofphere, with the like 

 good defign, that is to preferve (in Cafe all other 

 Caufes fhould fail, as they may, and at times do in 

 fbme Countries) the fweet Frefhnefs, and brisk 

 Temper of this Fluid, fo neceffary to Life, and 

 keep it, by a kind of continual Circulation, from 

 Deadnefs and Stinking. 



This Reafbning is liable to only one Objecti- 

 on that I know of, and that is this : That the 

 Appearances we have mentioned cannot be ow- 

 ing to the Caufes now affigned ; fince by Cal- 

 culation from them, the Mercury muft at New 

 and Full Moon fubfide in the Barometer to a 

 certain degree, which yet we do not obferve to 

 happen. 



In anfwer to which, (befides that there have been 

 fbme Obfervations made of the finking of the 

 Mercury at thofe times ; and it may perhaps be 

 the fault of the Obfervers that thefehave not been 

 reduced to any Rule) We are to Confider, That 

 altho 5 Winds and Alterations in the Preffure of 

 the Atmofphere, are the neceffary confequents of 

 the Lunar Attraction, and true Cafes of the dif- 

 ferent Rife of the Mercury in the Barometer ; yet 

 shefe may be produced many others ways too, 



