Cursory remarks on some parts of a work, entitled Studies of nature ; originally written by M. de Saint Pierre, and translated into English by ... Henry Hunter / [William Cole].

  • Cole, William, active 1807.
Date:
1807
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Cursory remarks on some parts of a work, entitled Studies of nature ; originally written by M. de Saint Pierre, and translated into English by ... Henry Hunter / [William Cole]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    c< vessel was evaporated much sooner than that in “ the second.”—This experiment, if it do not con¬ vince our judgment, can scarcely fail to excite our risibility.—But experiments made with the most powerful burning mirror, by collecting the rays of the moon, could never produce any sen¬ sible heat. And it has been computed, by M, Bonguer, and others, that the light reflected by the moon at the full, is to that of the sun, only as 1 to 300,000. Now it is evident, that their effects in exciting heat must be nearly in the same pr mrtion; therefore that of the moon must be altogether insensible. In estimating the effects of the sun's direct rays in the production of heat, M. JDe Saint Pierre seems to have been equally extravagant. He con¬ cludes, that if the apparent path of the sun were confined to the plane of the equator, the surface of the earth, within the tropics, would be actual¬ ly set on fire. He admits, notwithstanding, that the degrees of heat, in different climates, do not entirely depend upon the direction of the sun’s rays. He knows that there are mountains in the torrid zone, whose summits are perpetually co¬ vered with snow. And [Page 177. Vol. I.] he says, “ 1 know by experience that the summers.