276 A VOYAGE TO Book V. 



fon would, from its fituation, conclude to be unin- 

 habitable : nature has here fcattered her bleffings with 

 fo liberal a hand, that this country furpafles thofe of 

 the temperate zones, where the viciflltudes of win- 

 ter and fummer, and the change from heat to cold, 

 caufe the extremes of both to be more fenfibly felt. 



The method taken by nature to render this country 

 a delightful habitation, confifts in an aflemblage of 

 circumflances, of which if any were wanting, it would 

 either be utterly uninhabitable, or fubjedl to the greateft: 

 inconveniences. But by this extraordinary afiem- 

 blage, the effed of the rays of the fun is averted, and 

 the heat of that glorious planet moderated. The 

 principal circumftance in this affcmblage is its ele- 

 vated fituation above the furface of the fea ; or, ra- 

 ther, of the whole earth ; and thus not only the re-- 

 flexion of the heat is diminilhed, but, by the eleva- 

 tion of this country, the winds are more fubtile, con- 

 gelation more natural, and the heat abated. Thefe 

 are fuch natural effedts as muft doubtlefs be attri- 

 buted to its fituation ; and is the only circiimftance 

 from whence fuch prodigies of nature, as are ob- 

 ferved here, can proceed. In one part are mountains 

 of a ftupendous height and magnitude, having their 

 fummits covered with fnow ; on the other, volcanoes 

 flaming within, while their fummits, chafms, and aper- 

 tures, are involved in ice. The plains are temperate ; 

 the breaches and vallies hot and, laftly, according to 

 the difpofition of the country, its high or low fituation, 

 we find all the variety of gradations of temperature, 

 poffible to be conceived between the two extremes of 

 heat and cold. 



Quito is fo happily fituated, that neither the heat 

 nor cold is troubiefome, though the extremes of both 

 .may be felt in its neighbourhood ; a Angularity fuf- 

 ficiently demonflrated by the following thermome- 

 trical experiments. On the 31ft of May, 1736, the li- 

 quor in the thermometer flood at loi i : at half an hour 



after 



/ 



