204 
SECOND REPORT- 1882. 
in empirical laws and inconsequential reasoning. Let therefore 
those whose time is too much wasted in a vague study of the 
chaos of conflicting phenomena which is presented to us, fit 
themselves, by suitable physical and mathematical inquiries, for 
grappling with the difficulties individually. Never, we may be 
assured, will Meteorology attain the true dignity of a science till 
that of Heat is fully mastered,—till the laws which regulate its 
distribution generally are recognised, and its peculiar relations 
to the materials of our globe and the component parts of its 
atmosphere are ascertained,—till, in short, the motto of Fou¬ 
rier’s great work is fulfilled, Et ignem regunt numeri. 
It may be proper now to mention the particular course which 
is to be adopted, in the remainder of this Report, in endeavour¬ 
ing to give a general view of what has actually been done in 
Meteorology for some time past, and what points most require 
elucidation. 
I shall not be particular in inquiring what are the precise limits 
to be assigned to the science of Meteorology, nor proceed to dis¬ 
cuss the subject with the formality of arrangement which would 
be required in a treatise. I shall chiefly confine myself to those 
branches which admit of systematical cultivation, and which have 
assumed some consolidation of parts, without which any at¬ 
tempt at general views w^ould be premature. On this account, 
I shall very slightly allude to what are commonly called atmo¬ 
spheric phenomena, unless where their circumstances have been 
sufficiently classified to admit of being treated, in a general view, 
as groups of facts connected by some law, whether deduced by 
reasoning, or empirical. 
After alluding to such systematic works as have appeared of 
late years upon the science, I shall briefly notice any general 
views which have been presented as to the constitution of the 
atmosphere : I shall then successively consider the three great 
elements of Temperature, Pressure, and Humidity; and finally, 
under the head of Atmospherical Phenomena and Precipita¬ 
tions, notice such points as may especially claim attention, upon 
Electricity, Aurorae Boreales, Winds, Rain, &c. 
With an earnest desire to render my exertions as useful as 
possible, I conceived that in giving an idea of what has recently 
been done in Meteorology, 1 should very inadequately fulfil the 
object by analysing merely the few works which may be pub¬ 
lished separately, or the longer papers scantily scattered through 
volumes of Transactions : I propose therefore to myself, after 
mentioning simply, in each department, the great steps by which 
it has been brought to its present condition, to refer to the 
papers of any interest which touch upon the subject in question 
