account for these Phaenomena in a satisfactory manner, requires not only
great Sagacity but much Experience, and many Years' Observation, which,
however, considering the great Benefits that would result to Mankind
from establishing such a THEORY, would be Time well bestowed.

WE may however easily conceive that a constant North East Wind must be
accompanied with fair Weather. For whatever the causes of Winds may be,
yet on this side the Equator, a strong and settled North East always
buoys up the Clouds and keeps them suspended. This has been long
observed by, and passes for a settled point amongst Seamen. The Reason
of it however cannot be so easily assigned, at least a satisfactory
Reason, for as to Suppositions, every fanciful Man can furnish them at
Pleasure.

THIS, as well as the following Observations, very plainly and clearly
prove, that in this Part of the World fair Weather attends one Wind,
and wet another, but which is the Cause and which the Effect, or
whether both are not the Effects of some other Cause, I pretend not
absolutely to determine. But inasmuch as it is certainly known, that
Rains attend in other Climates those Winds that are here attended with
fair Weather, it seems more agreeable to suppose that rainy Weather is
occasioned chiefly by West Winds, because loaded with moist Vapours
from the Sea.

XIV.

_If it turn out again out of the South to the North East with Rain,
and continues in the North East two Days without Rain, and neither
turns South nor rains the third Day_, it is like to continue North
East for two or three months.

_The Wind will finish these Turns in three Weeks._

THIS Observation is of the same nature with the former, and is plainly
deduced from long experience. Our Author seems to contradict himself in
saying that these Winds finish their Turns in three Weeks, but his true
Meaning certainly is, that they are \about three Weeks in turning from
the South to the North East again. Some very great men have laid it
down as a thing certain, that the Variations of the Wind are to be
accounted for by the Alteration of the Balance of the Air, occasioned
by the different Effects of Heat and Cold; but other Writers again
insist very copiously on the Effects which Winds have upon the Air, and
thus confound us in a Circle of Causes and Effects, whence it is plain
that they do not thoroughly understand the Subject themselves, and
therefore it is no Wonder that they are not able to e