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than one would think, to settle any general rule about the rising and falling of the Quick-silver; yet in these parts one of those, that seem to hold oftnest, is, * * See Number 9. Phil. Transact. p. 157. 5. 8. & 9. where the Word, Generally, signifies no more, than for the most part. that when high winds blow, the Mercury is the lower; and yet that it self does sometimes fail: For, this very day (March 3.) though on that hill, where I am, the somewhat Westerly Winds have been blustering enough, yet ever since morning the Quick-silver has been rising, and is now risen near 38 of an Inch.
I had thoughts to add something about another kind of Baroscope (but inferior to that in use) whereof I have given some intimation in one of the Prœliminaries to the History of Cold. But you have already too much of a letter, and my occasions, &c.
So far that Letter. Since which time, another from the same Noble Observer intimates, That, as for that cause of the height of the Quick-silver in Droughts, which by him is suspected to be the elevation of steams from the Crust or Superficial parts of the Earth, which by little and little may add to the Weight of the Atmosphere, being not, as in other seasons, carried down from time to time by the falling Rain, it agrees not ill with what he has had since occasion to observe. For, whereas about March 12th, at Oxford, the Quick-silver was higher, than, for ought he knew, had been yet observ'd in England, viz. above 316 above 30. Inches, upon the first considerable showers, that have interrupted our long Drought, as he affirms, he foretold divers hours before that the Quick-silver would be very low, (a blustering Wind concurring with the Rain) so he found it at Stanton to fall 18 beneath 29. Inches. ** Dr. Beale concurs with his Observations, when he saith, in a late Letter of March. 19. to his Correspondent in London; By change of Weather and Wind, the Mercury is sunk more than an Inch, since I wrote to you on Munday last, March 12. This last night, by Rain and South-wind, 'tis sunk half an Inch.
