OF CORNWALL. 7 
reflexion of the Sun-beams upon the land being far ftronger, and 
making the Air warmer and lefs denfe over the land, casteris paribus, 
than over the fea, the ftreams of Air, which are fet in motion by 
various caules on the furface of the fea, muft neceffarily tend towards 
the land. Now the greateft quantity of fea to which England, and 
more particularly the Weftern parts of it, is moft expofed, is the 
Atlantic Ocean, lying to the South Weft of it, between the con 
tinents of Africa, Europe, and America ; consequently from this 
quarter the Winds mu ft moft generally blow. 
Being fo near the Sea as we are in moft parts of Cornwall, our sect, n 
Stormy blafts are more violent than in the inland parts of England, Storms 
became, though thofe lands which are more remote from the Sea 
are for the generality much higher than thole upon the Sea ftiore, 
yet the currents of Air, which we call Winds, are fo broken by the 
the hills in fome places, and abforb’d by valleys and woods in 
others, that they lole their ftrength, and gradually proceed into a 
more temperate motion, or even a Hat calm, before they reach the 
more inland fttuations , whereas, near the Sea, they come on with 
their full force, without being impeded or diflipated. Hence it is 
that the South Weft Winds, which blow fo long with us, not 
only bring rain, but alfo hard gales w ; every wind that rifes ad- 
vancing to the land without any obftacle over lo large a plane of 
water as the Atlantic ocean. 
It may not be amifs here to fay fomething of the Atmofphere in sect. lit. 
general, and to hint at the caules from which thole currents of Air, The Caiife °f 
which we call Winds, may poftibly arife. The Atmofphere is a gefted! fu£ * 
congeries of Air, fiery, terrene, and moift vapours ; the Air is the 
riid medium through which the light paftes, in which Fire is 
etained, . into which the vapours rife, and there float till they fall. 
e ,^ r * s fildom at reft, being varioufly agitated, condenfed, or 
rarefied, by the vapours and fire intermixed. The fire may be 
either equally difpers’d and ftagnant in the Atmofphere, fo as to 
remain mvifible, or colle&ed in one place, and from various caufes 
ufceptiole of inflammation, activity, and explofion. The vapours 
nfe fi 0111 Land and Sea, and are conlequently of a mixed nature ; 
t e dry parts of as different a compofition as the Earths and Minerals, 
avid the moifture as differently impregnated as the Waters of the 
e a, Lakes, Rivers, and Fountains. Vapours float alio in particular 
ortrnents, and in quantities of different magnitude, according as 
eat opeiates, and promotes their feparation and afeent into the 
Creberque procellis Africus. VlRG. 
Air. 
