The science of Chemistry will lead the student to "search the Scriptures," and thus to imitate the example of the best and greatest philosophers, for Newton esteemed The Bible "the most authentic of all histories;" Hale said, "none was like unto it for excellent wisdom, learning, and use;" Boyle considered it "a matchless volume, impossible to be too much studied or too highly esteemed;" and Locke pronounced it as "consisting of Truth without any mixture of Error for its matter."

I have humbly endeavored to select a few of the beautiful passages of Holy Writ which refer to Natural Phenomena, and to interpret these through the medium of the science that it is my delight to follow, a science-to employ the words of Davy-" which has its moral and intellectual, as well as its common uses; its object is not only to apply the different substances in nature for the advantages, comfort, and benefit of man, but likewise to set forth that wonderful history of Wisdom and Intelligence which is written in legible characters both in the heavens and on the earth."

To those who have not studied the science of Chemistry, I may say, in the words of the same philosopher, "its beginning is pleasure:" and when they have mastered its rudiments they will find, that "its progress is knowledge ;" and lastly, when they have attained its higher combinations and laws, and can venture upon the application of these to the interpretation of natural phenomena, they will confess that "its objects are truth and utility," and eminently calculated to inculcate feelings of thankfulness, gratitude, and reverence, towards The Great Creator, "He that is excellent in power and in judgment."

In this Essay it will be found, that in addition to the interpretation of a few of the phenomena of The Four Seasons, through the medium of Chemistry, I have introduced a variety of other miscellaneous, and I hope both interesting and useful information; all the experimental illustrations are of the simplest character, and do not involve the necessity of costly apparatus; and I have given explicit directions for their performance, so that the student may be certain of their success.

Chemical experiments are often unsuccessful on account of some apparently trifling matters having been neglected; I have endeavored to point out all these, and yet I find, that in the experiment at page 316, I have omitted to state, that in pouring the various solutions through the long funnel, care should be taken to pour them so gently, that no bubbles of air be carried down the pipe of the funnel, as these would disturb the levels of the respective liquids; and in removing the funnel, care should be also taken to lift its pipe very slowly, to the level of each liquid, holding it at each for two or three seconds. For the arrangement of this experiment, I am indebted to my friend Mr. T. S. Dick, who affords me his valuable assistance in the Chemical Laboratory at St. Bartholomew's Hospital.

At page 107, line 9 from the bottom, I must request the reader to insert the following paragraph, which I find has been accidentally omitted.

"An equal portion of the clay containing moisture, after being heated to 88 degrees, was exposed in a temperature of 55 degrees; in less than a quarter of an hour it was found to have gained the temperature of the

room."

growth of plants, 99. Destruction of plants and modifications

of the colors of flowers by acid vapors, 100. Plants may be

grown in a confined portion of air, and thus protected from

injury in smoky cities, 102. Tremulous motion of objects

when viewed through the air incumbent upon a soil heated by

the solar rays, 105. Rate of the heating and cooling of soils

differing in their physical and chemical characters, 106.

Importance of the thermometer to the agriculturist, 108. The

thermometer merely denotes the degree of heat that a medium

can impart, and not the actual quantity of heat that such

medium contains, ib. Substances of the same temperature

contain different quantities of heat, ib. Experimental illus-

trations regarding the capacity of bodies for heat, 108-122.

Diminution of the density of the atmosphere in proportion to

its altitude, 123. "The snow line," or "line of perpetual

congelation," 124. Miraculous adjustment of the density

and temperature of the air to the functions of human beings,

125. Summer heat never gains sufficient intensity to cause

the combustion of terrestrial productions, ib. Reflections

upon the beauty and harmony of the foregoing phenomena,

126. Coolness of the earth after a summer shower, chiefly

referable to evaporation, 129. Rate of evaporation at differ-

ent temperatures and during different states of the atmo-

sphere, 130. The evaporation of water employed as a

means of effecting reduction of temperature, 131. Water

frozen in summer by the cold produced during its own eva-

poration, 133. Hygroscopes for detecting the presence of

watery vapor in the atmosphere, 136. The sea and land

breezes of tropical islands and coasts, 139. Settled weather

essential for the hay harvest, 140. Hay damaged by floods

-Firing of damp hay, 141. Examination of the ashes of a

hay-stack and corn rick, 142. Silica and potash are essen-

tial components of soils for the growth of grasses and corn,

143. Utility of straw for thatching, 144.

CHAPTER III.

AUTUMN.

Radiation of heat from the earth, 147. Experiments con-

cerning radiation, 148. Influence of mere alteration of sur-

faces upon the reception and retention of heat, 149–154.

Color of surfaces affects their absorption of solar radiant

heat, 154. The black skin of the Ethiopian a defence

against the intensity of solar heat, 156. The "sunstroke,"

157. Radiation of heat from different soils, 158. Theory

of the wonderful phenomenon of dew, 159. Deposition of

dew, upon terrestrial objects, does not take place indiscrimi-

nately, 160. Experiments concerning dew, 162-165. Ice

obtained by the cold induced during radiation, 165. Deposi-

tion of dew upon dead organic matters hastens their putre-

faction, 166. The phenomenon of a morning mist, 167.

Its disappearance, 169. Spherical figure of dew and rain

drops, 170-173. Honey dew, 174. Hygrometer for as-

certaining the watery vapor present in the atmosphere, 175

-181. Deposition of water from the atmosphere in East-

ern climates, 182. Investigations regarding the phenomena

of the universe a source of happiness, 183-185. Blue

color of the sky, 185. Red appearance of the evening and

morning sky, 186, 187. The phenomenon of the rainbow,

188-191. Reliance placed upon experiment, 193. Aëra-

tion of water for the respiration of fishes, 194–198. Aqua-

tic plants purify water from the results of the respiration of

fishes, 199-206. Water is incapable of being heated by the

solar rays, 207. The solar rays collected to a burning focus

by a globular vessel filled with water, 208. The gas of

stagnant pools, 209. The ignis fatuus or Will o' the

Wisp, ib. Phosphorescent light of vegetable and animal

matters, 210. Deleterious matters produced during the putre-