inquired into. I
cannot tell whether this has ever been done or not, but I think there
is good Reason to conclude that there is a natural Balance established
of wet and dry Weather, as of Light and Darkness, Heat and Cold, and
other such like Variations.

IT may not be amiss to caution the Reader against a Mistake into which
the Manner of this Rule being stated may easily lead him. It is this,
that South West Winds cause Rain, and North East Winds fair Weather,
which however is not a Thing clear or certain by any means. This indeed
is true, that South West Winds and Rain, North East Winds and fair
Weather come together, generally speaking. But the Question is, which
causes the other, and a more difficult Question cannot easily be
stated, because there seems to be Facts on both sides. South West Winds
seldom continue long without Rain, this seems to prove the affirmative,
but on the other Hand, when in hard Weather, Rain begins to fall, the
Wind commonly veers to the South West, this looks as if the Rain caused
the Wind.

BUT to keep close to the Shepherd's Observation. There is one Thing
seems strongly to confirm it, which is this, that in any given Place
the Quantity of Rain one Year with another is found to be the same by
Experience, according to which the following Table has been calculated,
for the mean Quantity of Rain falling one Year with another in those
Places that are mentioned, and on this Proportion the other seems to be
founded.

At Harlem 24 Inches
Delf 27
Dort 40
Middleburg 33
Paris 20
Lyons 37
Rome 20
Padua 37-1/2
Pisa 34-1/4
Ulm 27
Berlin 19-1/2
In Lancashire 40
Essex 19-1/2

XIII.

_When the Wind turns to North East, and it continues two Days
without Rain, and does not turn South the third Day, nor Rain the
third Day, it is likely to continue North East for eight or nine
Days_, all fair; _and then to come to the South again_.

IN my Opinion this and the subsequent Remarks depend entirely upon
Observations, and may serve rather to found an Hypothesis, than seem be
deduced from one. That the Variations of the Wind depend on certain
Causes, and may consequently be reduced to Rules, is highly probable,
and such Observations as these render it in a manner certain. But to
explore these Causes, and to explain them in such a manner as to