An historical and philosophical account of the barometer, or, weather-glass. Wherein the reason and use of that instrument, the theory of the atmosphere, and the causes of its different gravitation, are assign'd and explain'd. And a modest attempt from thence made towards a rational account and probable judgment of the weather / By Edward Saul.

  • Saul, Edward, 1677-1754
Date:
1735
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An historical and philosophical account of the barometer, or, weather-glass. Wherein the reason and use of that instrument, the theory of the atmosphere, and the causes of its different gravitation, are assign'd and explain'd. And a modest attempt from thence made towards a rational account and probable judgment of the weather / By Edward Saul. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    [»*] who daily fee the Effefr, and are not rightly appriz'd of the Caufe, to explain the Nature and Reafon of it. My Defign therefore in thefe Papers, is not to write for the Entertainment ofPhi- lofophers, or of thofe Centlemen, who by the Advantage of a learned Education, or of aCourfe of Experiments, have had bet¬ ter Opportunities of improving themfelves in Speculations of this Nature : But for the Satisfa&ion of many of my inquifitive Countrymen ; who having given them¬ felves and their Parlours an Air of Fhilofo- phy, by the Pur chafe of a Barometer, may be willing to know the Meaning of it, and defirous of exerting now and then a Superi¬ ority of Underftanding, by talking clearly and intelligibly upon it. The Defign and Ufe of this Inftrument, is to fliew the various Changes in the Weight or Preffure of the Air, and thofe of the Weather depending upon it. The Air, in former Ages, was gene¬ rally held to be a Body fpecifically Light, or by its own inherent Spring and A&ivity, rifing naturally, and mounting upwards: But the Philofbphers of the laft Century, by various Experiments have difeover’d and demonftrated it in reality to be a hea¬ vy elaftic Fluid; heavy, becaufe its upper Parts prefs upon the lower, and thofe again upon others below them, with a progreffive Weight,