The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

NATURAL HISTORY OF WINDS. 447
things which lie, as it were, in their way. earthquakes come but seldom, risings and swellThis is certain, that winds are either inbred or ings of waters are more frequent.
strangers; for winds are, as it were, merchants of 7. Likewise it is everywhere taken notice of
vapours, which being by them gathered into that waters do somewhat swell and rise before
clouds, they carry out and bring in again into tempests.
countries, from whence winds are again returned, 8. The weak subterraneal spirit which is
as it were, by exchange. But let us now inquire breathed out scatteringly is not perceived upon
concerning native winds, for those which, coming the earth until it be gathered into wind, by reason
from another place, are strangers, are in another the earth is full of pores; but when it issues from
place natives. There are three local beginnings under the water, it is presently perceived (by
of theni: they either breathe, or spring out of the reason of the water's continuity) by some manner
ground, or are cast down from above, or are here of swelling.
made up in the body of the air. Those which are 9. We resolved before that in cavernous and
cast down from above, are of a double generation; denny places there were attendant winds; insofor they are either cast down before they be form- much that those winds seem to have their local
ed into clouds, or afterwards composed of rarefied beginnings out of the earth.
and dispersed clouds. Let us now see what is 10. In great and rocky hills winds are found
the history of these things. to breathe sooner, (namely, before they be per1. The poets feigned Eolus his kingdom to be ceived in the valleys,) and more frequently,
placed under ground in dens and caves, where (namely, when it is calm weather in the valleys,)
the winds' prison was, out of which they were at but all mountains and rocks are cavernous and
times let forth. hollow.
2. Some philosophical divines, moved by those 11. In Wales, in the county of Denbigh, a
words of Scripture, "S He brings forth the winds mountainous and rocky country, out of certain
out of his treasures," think that the winds come caves (as Gilbertus relateth) are such vehement
out of some treasuries; namely, places under eruptions of wind, that clothes or linen laid out
ground, amongst the mines of minerals. But there upon any occasion, are blown up, and carried
this is nothing; for the Scripture speaketh like- a great way up into the air.
wise of the treasures of snow and hail, which, 12. In Aber Barry, near Severn in Wales, in
doubtless, are engendered above. a rocky cliff, are certain holes, to which if you
3. Questionless, in subterraneal places there lay your ear, you shall hear divers sounds and
is great store of air, which it is very likely some- murmurs of winds under ground.
times breathes out by little and little, and sometimes, again, upon urgent causes, must needs an indirect experinteif.
come rushing forth together. Acosta hath observed that the towns of Plata
and Potosi, in Peru, are not far distant one from
An indirect experinent. the other, and both situated upon a high and hilly
In great droughts, and in the middle of sum- ground, so that they differ not in that; and yet
mer, when the ground is cleft and chopped, there Potosi hath a cold and winter-like air, and Plata
breaks out water many times in dry and sandy hath a mild and spring-like temperature, which
places; which, if waters (being a gross body) difference it seems may be attributed to the silver
do, though it be but seldom, it is probable that mines which are near Potosi; which showeth
the air (which is a subtile and tenuous body) may that there are breathing-places of the earth, as in
often do it. relation to hot and cold.
4. If the air breathes out of the earth by little 13. If the earth be the first cold thing, accordand little, and scatteringly, it is little perceived ing to Parmenides, (whose opinion is not conat the first; but when many of those small ema- temptible, seeing cold and density are knit togenations, or comings out, are come together, there ther by a strict knot,) it is no less probable that
is a wind produced, as a river out of several there are hotter breaths sent out from the central
springs. And this seems to be so, because it hath cold of the earth than are cast down from the cold
been observed by the ancients, that many winds, of the higher air.
in those places where they begin, do at first blow 14. There are certain wells in Dalmatia, and
but softly, which afterward grow stronger and the country of Cyrene, (as some of the ancients
increase in their progress like unto rivers. record,) into which if you cast a stone, there will
5. There are some places in the sea, and some presently arise tempests, as if the stone had
lakes also, which swell extremely when there is broken some covering of a place, in which thel
no wind stirring, which apparently proceeds from force of the winds was enclosed.
some subterraneal wind.
6. There is great quantity of subterraneal spi- An indirect experiment.
rit required to shake or cleave the earth; less will -Etna and divers other mountains cast ou'l
serve turn for the raising of water. Wherefore fire; therefore it is likely that air may likewise