line from fouth-weft to north-eaft; but it is otherwife from north to fouth. Great quantity of wet often falls here, and in the places of the above direction, while at the diftance of 50 or 100 miles north, there will be little or none, and vice verfa.Thus in a form the laft of December and firft of January laft, of two days continuance, though violent on all our fouthern fhore as well as at Bofton, yet did not extend one hundred miles north. So alfo the laft great drought, which was fo extenfive to the fouthward, reached only a fmall distance northward. Large denfe clouds commonly move about 30 miles in an hour, even when there is an oppofite wind below them; lighter clouds move much fafter, and especially when there is no contending wind: A frong argument that great clouds move only in the above described di-, rection. When a cloud becomes large, it attracts all small clouds and vapours towards the centre, and as the air is thereby attracted and followeth the clouds, fo the wind will blow from feveral points at one and the fame time, causing a variety of shiftings,but with no effect on the great cloud, except to increase its magnitude. This has led many to fuppofe that showers often pals to the eaft and return back again, only because the wind at the time of the showers paffing, bloweth from the eaft; while it is only the under wind, and operates the fame as in the ftorms described above.. those places that are cooled by the falling rain; while the great upper cloud, notwithstanding the hot violent ing air from the north-eaft or north, air from the fouthward, or the coolgoes on in its course from the weftward. This is commonly the course of the upper cloud, though the under air from the northward will give it north, while in reality it is from the the appearance of advancing from the weft, or it may be even the fouthweft. Some confiderable rain may fometimes fall from lower clouds, but it is always fmall, feldom more than a cording to the rarefactions of the air, mift: They move in all directions acor cafual attractions. On the whole, we cannot but obferve the wonderful works of the Author of Nature, how he has contrived a circulation of the air and fluids: The one fo often brought in fruitful showers, as well as long continued rains, to enrich and foften the earth: The other by its motion conftantly to purge it of its putrid matter, and add health to its inhabitants? The lower clouds and furrounding vapours are like water-buckets, taking in their ftores at the fea, the rivers, and the denfe regions, and with eafe carrying them to the thick and lofty clouds above, generously lending them a fupply, while they are emptying themfelves on the dry and thirsty earth. OBSERVATOR METEORUM. How little effect oppoting winds To the Editors of the BOSTON MA have to alter the courfe of clouds may be often feen, when a range of Showers in the heat of fummer, are rifing in the N. W. or W. The wind will blow violently, in a directly oppo fite, or fometimes in a more fide direction,towards the heavy clouds that are paffing in the north. This wind, how ever heavy, does not appear powerful enough to flop the cloud, which ftill advances; it not only keeps good its front, but every rifing column gains ground on its adverfary, the whole body beats up from the weftward or N. W. When it arrives, the oppofite hot wind yields to its conqueror, and is loft in a cold wind which bloweth mear the surface from the north, from GAZINE. Gentlemen, R. INCONSTANT has drawn M his own character in fuch lively colours, that I cannot but think that he must have acted, or he never could it is a juft one. He must have felt; have written in the manner he has. in his conclufion," that men are more But I am far from agreeing with him inconftant than women." If any thing, threwdly fufpe&t that he is one of he has proved the reverfe: For I thofe modifh gentlemen, who are fo cacy of females. But this is not to fond of aping the manners and delimy purpose. Though Though his diforder appears to be inveterate, I would not have him entirely defpair of a remedy. I am one of thofe perfons, who are fond of beIf he ing engaged in difficult cafes. will fubmit to any prescriptions, however difagreeable, I will undertake for him. In dangerous difeafes every thing must be hazarded; every medicine must be received with fubmiffion. Let the patient, as often as he can bear the profpect, view himfeif in the character he has given us. It is probable this will produce fome confiderable change in the conftitution of his mind. If it does not fucceed, let him confider the dignity, which he, as a man, ought to affume; and that thofe fair creatures, with whom he was fucceffively enraptured, were rational beings, and capable of fome difcernment. When he KNEELS at the fhrine of Beauty, to "feign a paffion that he never felt," he will do well to reflect, that he is paying a ridiculous homage, and is defpifed by the goddess herfelf. If thefe applications hould prove too powerful for the poor creature, or operate in any way contrary to my expectations; upon proper information, it is poffsible he may again hear from me. JAMES STEADY. To the Editors of the Bofton Magazine.' I A M extremely well pleased, when any writer employs his pen on fo good a fubject as education. Too much cannot be faid about it and as a Magazine is a repofitory of ufeful knowledge, if fomething fhould appear in every number to this purpofe, it would render it more valuable. If old thoughts are reviewed only, yet are there many who need line upon line and precept upon precept---When the writer, however, is a min of genius and obfervation, fome original fentiments will be blended with his other reflections. Modes of education fhould always be fuited to the capacities of youth and their condition in fociety; which laft idea takes in, with the place of their habitation, the connection they muft have with their government and laws, in order to prepare them for the parts they are to act upon the theatre of life. In America, we profefs to live in free Republics. Hence, let us be converfant with those sciences, and ftudy thofe arts, which will equally invigorate and adorn the mind, and give us a character among the nations. In mine own opinion, a general diffufion of knowledge is better adapted to our fituation than general ignorance, with only a few individuals who fhine with very sublime splendour,and have really all the learning in the flate---which will ever be the cafe, where encouragement is only given to individuals, and the multitude have not a ftimulus even to feek after inftruction. Hence have I always been pleafed with the law which requires the maintenance of grammar schoolmafters a law, which hath become the admiration of the philofophers of Europe, and fhews the wifdom of the original fettlers of this new world. I fhall omit many things which might be faid here, because they were difcuffed in a much better manner by. a writer in your laft Magazine. He, it feems, fuppofes that the prefent mode of education growing into vogue, or, in other words, the eftablifhment of fo many Academies will interfere with this very wife and ufeful law, and with him I perfectly agree. If his fentiments are falfe, they may be made to appear fo--if true, let them have the confideration they merit. In a Republic, as every one hath to act a part, he fhould be able to write and read, at leaft, and to fay why he will give his vote for this thing rather than any other, which is easily done by fuch methods of education as diffule the quantum of knowledge through the people---whereas, if Academies take place of schools, though. there may be a greater number of fuperior fcholars--yet there may be much lefs useful knowledge. Should it be faid, this thought may be equally applied to univerfities as to academies, instead of enlarging upon the impropriety of the objection, I only obferve, that honld the number of them increase, as the inftitutions we have mentioned, it would be time to fpeak against them. At prefent we have one, which is our glory, but which is more likely to be hurt than helped by the incorporation of academies. not their political chara&er) because they pafs through the common forms of fchools and colleges, as if they had real learning to give them importance. I laugh oftentimes to hear people, who have families of children,contrive how they fhall bring them up. One mufe certainly have a univerfity education. Now which is this to be? A country farmer will furely fix upon the one the leaft able to work this will be a good way of fitting him off, and he may poffibly arrive to be Juftice of the Peace, before he dies! But it is not managed better with little mafler of the town. If he hath only a demure countenance, and is, called fober among his play-mates he certainly will do to MAKE A MINISTER OF So fays his pious mamma, and his maiden aunts and who fo proper to confult upon the genius or capacity of the lad? It may be thought wrong, however, to mention family converfation, but fomething muft be the caufe,why there are so many perfons who are called scholars, to whom nature never gave any genius or fancy. In a Republic, likewise, every me. thod of education fhould be defigned to cultivate the noble and ingenuous principles of our nature, fuch as will give a ftimulus to great actions, as well the friendly fympathies of the human bofom. It is now the TON to say fo much about FINE FEELINGS, the foft, fweet SENSIBILITIES of friendhip, delicacy of fentiment, &c. that I am too much afraid of cenfure not to indulge them, and in a certain degree they are moft amiable, as well as the fource of good And if nothing is faid in favour of them in this Effay, it is not likely to be read, except only to throw by, as the offspring of an uncultivated tafte, the production of fome rough unknown fon of nature, who needed inftru&tion himself,before he attempted to write upon the fubject. I admire, notwithstanding, the FEELING HEART Only think there then hould be a diftinétion made, where the tears of fenfibility flow over every urn, and the big drop which falls upon the tomb of the patriot---or fweils the eye, where the countenance is animated with beholding a nation covered with glory. A foul, which is unmoved by any ExQUISITE fenfations in running with Emma Corbett through all her scenes of diftrefs, may be not only touched but agitated to contemplate the fcene, where a WASHINGTON ftands before an affembled Senate, having defended the fandard of Liberty, and is falu-OUR, A Countryman, has apoted as the Deliverer of his country. One thing more I obferve, which ftrikes me disagreeably, and is connected with our methods of education, viz. the indulgence granted to Dunces, who it feems have the fame rank in fociety (Ifpeak here of their literary, Hh I conclude therefore with exhorting all teachers, parents, &c. to confider well what fort of wit or ability falls to thofe who are under their care, that they may fuit their ftudy and manner of life to it, for we are all defigned for fomething and he that will make a defpicable figure among the LITERATI, and appear only with a glow worm lufire, may fhine in fome branches of mechanics or bufbandry,or perhaps, through his induftry and frugality in commercial bufneis, grow rich, and thus ferve the Commonwealth in ONE way, which he will never be able to do in ANO THER. To the Printers of the BOSTON MA- very ingenious correfpon logized for advanc ng a fentiment that he conceives may in fome degree militate with mine. I prefume on his goodness to excufe me in turn, if the following obfervations fhould be opposite to his. Ая An accurate knowledge of vegetation is of the great eft confequence to a philofophic enquirer. This knowledge, reduced to practice, becomes the moft interefting fubje&t to the whole human fpecies. Your correfpondent fays, "That, from the intricacy of the fubje&t, the question remains involved in obfcurity, and it is quite uncertain at this day, whether the plant is fed from the earth or atmofphere, or jointly from both." He muft have miftaken me in fuppofing that my fentiments were, that vegetables were nourifhed from the former only; for this conclufion by no means follows from your correfpondent's quotation. We muft fuppofe that the earth, divided by froft or any other way, muft contain the nourishing principles, or it is of little confequence whether the foil is fand or clay, whether it is rendered pernicious to the roots of plants or not. I would beg leave to afk your correfpondent, why a plant, in a light fandy foil, will not afford the fame luxuriant growth, with the fame quantity of manure and the fame quantity of water, as in a loamy foil? He will no doubt anfwer, that the plant, though it has the same benefit from the atmosphere, yet it has not from the earth, which is, I think, fufficient proof that, at leaft, it receives part of its nourishment from the foil. I conclude that he did not recolle, that a plant would grow,' when excluded from the atmosphere, in perfection, provided light is admitted; which feems only neceffary to produce oil and colours; for, if the light is totally excluded, it will make confiderable progrefs in its growth, except in the fize and colouring matter for its leaves. Your correfpondent grants, that a divifion of the particles of earth is neceffary, and particularly in clayey grounds, to enable them to receive the rain and dew, with which falls the food of plants; he will permit me to determine, that his fentiments, however specious, are by no means juft. cannot conceive that the food of lants is primarily contained in rain ar dew. I wish my ingenious oppoLent had pointed out clearly what principle was contained in the rain or dew, (except as a solvent) that affifted the growth of plants. He fuppofes that there are particles of matter floating in the air, which are attracted by the manure on the ground. I beg leave to afk, whether the induftrious and attentive husbandman does not apply his manure as near the roots of his plant as poffible, and does not prefer covering it thoroughly from the action of the atmosphere? If we afk his reafon for fo doing, will he not fay, that a lefs quantity of manure will answer for the plant, and that, if it is near the top of the ground it will not rot, but be the fame in the fall as when he fpread it on his ground? May not vegetation depend on a principle very different from what has been fuggefted? The general received opinion, that there is a quantity of nitrous falts floating in the air,is not true. Faffert it, because no fuch principle was ever discovered; which certainly would have been very ealy, if it had exifted. From putrid fubftances is evolved the nitrous principle, whether animal or vegetable. It appears from numerous experiments, that this principle is, at leaft, favourable to vegetation. Moifture is abfolutely neceffary to produce a putrid fermentation; fo far vegetation depends on the atmofphere of confequence in fome degree on the lightness of the foil; and further, where a putrid'effluvia is emitted into the air, the particles of water, in their defcent, carry a part of it to the earth, where it no doubt affifts vegetation. The manure therefore, that is applied to the purposes of vegetation, ought to be as near a ftate of putrid fermentation as poffible, or capable of producing this ferment in other bodies, or to have run through, in a confined ftate, this ftage of fermentation, previous to its being applied to the vegetable. Our attentive farmers will tell you, that their manure, totally rotted in a heap, will produce a greater crop for the firft year; but the fecond year, his new manure, that was laid on his ground, will have the greateft effect. Calcareous fubftances, fuch as chalk ehalk, lime, marl,fhells, &c. are, from calcareous earths. The land which is neceffary to affift the fermentation. with him in his mode and time of till- cond time I have written on this fubjet, My firft produced fome very afeful obfervations from your correrpoudent |