Upon the Minimum Temperature of the Night, 169 
diminution, and reaches its minimum state generally about mid- 
night ; after which it suffers little or no change till towards the 
hour of sunrise. From midnight the progress of the cold is 
almost completely arrested, the transition of the vapour to the 
liquid state evolving a sufficient portion of heat to counteract the 
loss of temperature by radiation, and the other physical causes 
by which the cold of the night-air is induced. Before sunset, a 
considerable portion of moisture, it must be admitted, is discer- 
nible on the blades of grass, and other spicular substances on 
the ground ; but the dew thus formed is rather a condensation of 
the moisture exhaling from the surface of the earth, by the heat 
it had acquired during the dajr, than a precipitation of vapour 
from the atmosphere, which it would seem does not begin to 
take place until the temperature of the air has reached the point 
corresponding to complete dampness. This is the reason why 
from midnight to the time when the heat of the sun begins to 
be sensibly felt next morning, the temperature of the night is 
nearly stationary ; and were it not for the constitution of things 
which I have described, the reduction of temperature would 
proceed to a much greater extent than is actually observed, see- 
ing that the night-cold, even in the months of summer, when 
the season happens to be very dry, is always excessive, and fre- 
quently descends below the point of congelation, at the very 
time when the temperature of the day rises to 75°. 
Art. XVIII. — Notice of an Inquiry into the Principles accord- 
ing to which Friendly Societies (or Benefit Societies) ought 
to he conducted , in order to insure their stability and success . 
A. very interesting publication, upon this important subject, 
is about to make its appearance, in the form of a Report from a 
Committee of the Highland Society of Scotland. The inquiry 
was moved for so early as 1819, in consequence of the well 
known facts, that, of the numerous Friendly Societies insti- 
tuted at different times in this country, the great bulk had gone 
to ruin, by making greater allowances than their funds could 
afford ; that of those which remained in existence, the major 
part had been compelled to lessen their allowances to such sums 
as their funds could bear ; and that very few, indeed, were in a 
