Varieties: or, A surveigh of rare and excellent matters necessary and delectable for all sorts of persons. Wherein the principall heads of diverse sciences are illustrated, rare secrets of naturall things unfoulded, &c. Digested into five bookes, whose severall chapters with their contents are to be seene in the table after the epistle dedicatory. By David Person, of Loghlands in Scotland, Gentleman.

CHAP. 2.

Where Meteors are composed. Of Clouds, where they are fashioned, together with the solution of some questions concerning the middle Region.

NOW remaines to know in which of these Regions any of these Meteors are framed:* 1.1 and first, whether or not Clouds be generated in the middle Region of the Ayre? It is most likely, that not there, but in the lower; because in it diverse other Meteors alike in matter and forme are framed.

To which, not so much cold is requisit, as to the other two; yet the nature of Clouds being considered, we shall finde them to be generated in the middle Re∣gion onely.

For, seeing Clouds are nothing else but vapours mounted, and thickned by condensed cold; then sure

they cannot bee framed in the uppermost Region of the Ayre,* 1.2 because in it the Sunnes rayes are directed, lacking reflex, beside the circular and Spherick moti∣on it hath, by vertue of the proximity of the Elemen∣tary fire, which warmeth it againe: this thickning or condensing cold cannot be in the lower region, by rea∣son of the heate of it through the reverberation of the Suns rayes, beating upon the solid bodies of the earth, and waters: so there resteth the middle Region, in w^ch the reflex faileth, & the vertue from above too of the direct Sunnes rayes; so that naturally it being cold, in it only these vapours must be condensed to a cloud.* 1.3

And whereas I was saying before that it should seeme that the Clouds are begotten in the lowest Re∣gion; in respect that in it, Waters, as Dew and Foun∣taines, at least their matter and forme are brought forth, that alwayes cannot hold; because that Foun∣taines, and Rivers, are rather bred in the concavities, and hollow places of the earth, than of it, or rather flow and have their source from the Seas.

Neither must my words be mistaken, when I say that the middle Region is naturally cold, seeing be∣fore I have set downe the Ayre, naturally to be hot and moist; for when I say that it is cold, it must bee understood, but respectively, in regard of the other two, as wanting the reflective heate of the lower Re∣gion, and the circulative heat by the ignean or fiery warmenesse of the other.

Now if it be objected that seeing the middle Re∣gion of the Ayre is cold,* 1.4 and all cold things are hea∣vie, and so consequently tend downeward; what can be the reason that this middle Region falleth not

thorow the lowest to its own centre of weight,* 1.5 which is the earth? It availeth not; for first, not all frigidi∣ty draweth or tendeth alwayes from its circumfe∣rences, to the centre, but that only which is absolute∣ly and simply cold; as that of the Earth and Waters, and not that of the Ayre, which (as I say before) is but respectively cold; yea, albeit that the middle Re∣gion divide not the lowest in whole, yet in parts it doth; as in raine, when it falleth from the middle one upon the dissolution of a cloud.

Finally it may be said here, that clouds not onely may bee seene beneath us to inviron the tops of our lower Mountaines; for I my selfe crossing the lower Alpes, at Genoa, have seene them below me along the sides of the Mountaines; they likewise may be per∣ceived to glide over the Plaines, and swimming over our Lakes and Rivers: yet that serveth not to prove, that they are generated in the lowest Region;* 1.6 but ra∣ther argueth the ascending of these vapours, and the gathering of them together; of which the clouds must bee coagulated and no otherwise, as that they are absolutely there framed. But this by the way.

Notes

• * 1.1

  In what region of the Ayre the Meteors are composed.
• * 1.2

  What clouds are.
• * 1.3

  Clouds are fa∣shioned in the middle region.
• * 1.4

  Concerning the middle ••••∣gion.
• * 1.5

  Solution.
• * 1.6

  The foggy va∣pours which we see like clouds skim∣ming our lakes are but ascen∣ding to frame the cloud.