LECTURE 
ON 
CLIMATE. 
+ 
(From the Moreton Bay Courier , August BO, 1860.) 
+ 
On Tuesday evening, an interesting lecture 
on “ Climate ” was delivered by Dr. Barton, 
at the School of Arts, before a numerous 
and attentive audience. The importance 
attaching to the subject, and the valuable 
information the lecture contains, both war- 
rant us in publishing it in its entirety, and 
we do so with the more pleasure because we 
know that Dr. Barton bestowed no small 
amount of care, thought, and attention 
upon his subject. 
In the following observations on climate, I have 
made free use of all trustworthy authorities on 
the subject, for I would say with Dr. Johnson — 
“ If no use he made of the labours of past ages, 
the world must remain always in the infancy of 
knowledge.” Although I agree with the para- 
phrase of the words of Lord Bacon, that “ the 
lecturer must not be the ant, collecting all things 
indiscriminately from all quarters, as provender 
for his discourses ; nor the spider, seeking no 
materials abroad, but spinning his web of specu 
lative doctrine from within himself ; but rather 
the bee, extracting crude honey from various 
flowers, storing it up in the recesses of his 
brain, and submitting it to the operation of his 
internal faculties, until it be matured and ready 
for use yet the subject beiug large and diffi- 
cult, I must claim little of originality in ray re- 
marks. 
By climate I mean, the prevailing state of the 
atmosphere of any region, with respect to heat, 
cold, moisture, winds, and impregnation with 
electricity, and ozone. The consideration of this 
subject — the atmosphere which we breathe, and 
in which, and by which, wo live — should be in- 
teresting to all. 
It would be very pleasant and profitable to 
dwell somewhat upon the moral effects of cli- 
mate ; to trace traits of national character or 
disposition, examples of great achievements of 
learning, or valour, or peculiarities of physical 
conformation, to the climate and neighbourhood 
in which they have been noticed ; for we know 
that man, unlike animals, can exist in almost 
any clime of the globe, — under the burning sun- 
shine of the tropics, and amid the perpetual and 
profound frost of the polar regions ; and that 
these different degrees of external temperature 
impress peculiar physical characters upon those 
who are subject to them. Towards the poles 
man becomes stunted, both in mind and body. 
The ordinary stature of the Samoydes, we read, 
seldom exceeds four or five feet, and their whole 
exterior corresponds with their dwarfish size. 
On the other hand, we know that all the func- 
tions of the body are developed and ripened 
faster, under the stimulus of the sun, as we 
approach the equator ; though we must remem- 
ber that considerable heat acting for a long time 
together, has an exhausting or depressing effect 
upon the animal functions — the nervous system 
— causing languor and lassitude, want of energy, 
and a disinclination to exertion, both bodily and 
mental. 
A temperate clime, no doubt, is that most con- 
genial to high mental attainments, and indeed to 
the most perfect development of the species : 
though the position of the country geographically 
has less to do— as I shall show when speaking 
of isothermal lines — with the climate, than has 
elevation of position, or proximity of moun- 
tains, &c. But this part of the subject, not be- 
ing that to which particular attention need now 
i be directed, is passed over, and I come to the 
