1809.] 
February. From the vernal equinox.tothe 
summer solstice, and from the autumnal 
equinox to the winter solstice, the pro- 
gression of temperature is more than as 
rapid again; the progression of the 
spring and autumn months exceeding 
that of the summer ana winter months 
in the proportion of above five to two, 
and gradually increasing till we come 
to the middle poimt between the equi- 
noxes and solstices, then decreasing gra- 
dually after. Thus, for instance, “the 
progression of that from January to 
March is 4; from March to May 114 
that of cild, from July to Sentchites, 
is 64; from Septe mber to November 14. 
It is to be observed also, that the heat 
of two months only in June or August 
may, in some particular years, exceed 
that of July; whiie the cold of four 
other months, namely, November, De- 
cember, February, and March, may oc- 
casionally exceed that of January, so 
that the range of our coldest weather 
in winter greatly exceeds that of our 
warmest in summer. 
If careful observations were made 
‘throughout different climates, similar to 
the above, for the purpose of ascer- 
taining the mean and progressive tem- 
peratures, in as great a variety of situa- 
‘tions as possible, a good deal of impor- 
tant information might be added to the 
general stock, particularly when com- 
parisons might be made, and inferences 
drawn, as to the influence, for example, 
of continental or insular situations, and 
their fitness or unfitness for promoting 
vegetation, and of course agricultural 
pursuits, &c. And for still farther elu- 
cidating this subject, an estimate of the 
quantity of rain falling each month by 
itself, taken from a mean of several years’ 
observations, would be also higlily neces- 
sary. 
These hints: are submitted to your 
readers, with the view of pointing out 
some uses to which the keeping of cor- 
rect meteorological journals may be ap- 
plied. Other advantages to be derived 
from such studies may, no doubt, suggest 
themselves to others. 
Edinburgh, 
Oct. 13, 1809. 
se 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
DR. ADAM CLARKE, and the IMPERIAL 
ENCYCLOPEDIA. 
BEG leave, through the medium of 
your valuable Magazine, the enemy 
of delusion, and the exposure of impos- 
ture of every kind, to call the attention 
 Mostuty Mac. No. 192, 
Your’s, &c. 
G. W. 
Adam Clarke, and the Imperial Encyclopedia. 
43} 
of the public to what I apprehend isa 
very shabby trick of some of ‘* the eclec- 
tic sect.” On the wrapper of the Nos 
vember number of your entertaining 
miscellany, there is an advertisement of 
a new Dictionary of Arts and Sciences, 
under the title of the ‘¢ imperial Eney- 
clopedia,” by William Moore Johason, 
A.M. and Thomas Exley, aud sanctioned 
by the recommendation of “ Adam 
Clarke, L.L.D.” Many of your readers 
well know, that Dr. Adam Clarke is a 
man of considerable erudition, asa ge- 
neral scholar, and of much-famed talents 
asa pulpit orator; that he is, nearly, if 
not quite, at the head of the numerous 
sect of Wesleyan Methodisis; by whom 
he is, of course, considered as an oracle 
in every thing that relates to hterature, 
science, and religion. But it is not so 
well known, that Dr. Clarke is a near 
relative, I believe the brother in-law, of 
ove of the conductors of this new Dic- 
tionary, namely, the Rev. W. M. Jobn- 
son. Such, however, is the rumour in 
our remote corner of the country: and 
ifit be not true, it is quite proper that it 
should .be stated publicly, that Dr. 
Clarke, or his protegés, may contradict 
the statement as publicly. I apprehend, 
however, they will not be able to do this. 
Now, Sir, I have no aversion te either 
methodists, or methodism; but L have a 
great hatred to deception, and every 
thing that stands at a distance from 
plain-dealing. Of course, I do not like 
to see a recommendation sent into the 
world, and especially into the metho- 
distic part of the world, with all the au- 
thority of an “ Imprimatur,’ printed 
upon the cover of the thirty thousands 
ot the Methodist Magazine, to be re- 
ceived as the disinterested opinion of 
their most -celebrated preacher, by the 
hundred thousand well-meaning readers 
of thar Magazine; when, in fact, no re- 
commendation can be conceived to ema- 
nate from amore interested source. A 
gentleman, whose character is known, 
recommends to the publica work, partly 
compiled by a near relative, whose cha- 
racter is not known; and ‘hat public, 
who know nothing of that relationship, 
attach to the recommendation a thou- 
sand times its real value, on account of 
their ignorance of the motives that might 
operate, and doubtless had some weight, 
in having a character thus ‘accurately 
_ produced,” to use Dr. Clarke’s own 
language. I shall not bere dwell-upon 
the vagueness of the recommendation ; 
the cautious introduction of “as far as i 
2Q have 
