205 
REPORT ON METEOROLOGY. 
in the periodical literature of the last Jive years , that is, from 
1827 to 1831 inclusive. This will preclude my attempting to 
analyse these papers, unless where they are most important and 
comprehensive : but I conceive that in the present state of the 
subject it will be more important to bring together the results, 
in the simplest connected form, of the mass of floating periodi¬ 
cal information, and give means of reference to enable any one 
to inquire for himself into the steps by which individual authors 
arrived at the conclusions which may be announced. When 
opportunity offers, I shall add to this, hints for the prosecution 
of the subject in the best lines of direction. 
I am sensible that in sciences further advanced, a different 
style of Report would be more useful and more agreeable. In 
Meteorology however, where the literature is almost solely 
fragmentary, I believe that by the mode which I adopt I shall 
produce a more satisfactory work, though at the expense of 
greater labour of compilation. 
The only meteorological work which I know of as having 
appeared in this country during the last few years, is Mr. 
Danielfs volume of Meteorological Essays. This book has 
been too long in the hands of the public to require any ex¬ 
tended criticism or analysis. Mr. Daniell has very justly con¬ 
sidered that, in the present state of the science, detached 
Essays were better suited to its imperfections than a more sy¬ 
stematic plan of composition: this likewise affords us the 
opportunity of taking up the particular subjects of which he 
has treated, when they contain any important novelty, in their 
regular place in our Report. It is perhaps to be regretted 
that Mr. Daniell has mixed so much purely theoretical matter 
with the interesting practical conclusions in which his book 
abounds: it has certainly had the distinguished merit of direct¬ 
ing public attention strongly to the science, and of eliciting 
some further very interesting experimental inquiries upon to¬ 
pics touched upon in these Essays. 
In France several systematic works have appeared in Meteo¬ 
rology, but chiefly of a character purely popular, and with no 
great pretensions to scientific interest. M. Pouillet’s work* 
* Elemens de Physique et de Meteor oloyie , 8vo, 2 tom. 1827-30. Baron Hum¬ 
boldt has recently presented to the Academy of Sciences two new systematic 
works, of which the authors are M. Schubler and M. Kamtz, both of whom are 
already known by their contributions to Meteorology. Bulletin de la Societe 
Philomathique, Mars, Avr. 1832.—N.B. December 1832. Since writing the 
above, though I have not seen the work of M. Kamtz, I have received such 
information as leads me to believe that it will take a distinguished position 
among systematic treatises. The first volume only is published. The second 
will contain many original researches of the intelligent author, with whom 
1 have been fortunate enough to become acquainted. 
