The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

PARTICULAR TOPICS;
on,
ARTICLES OF INQUISITION CONCERNING THE WINDS.
The names of winds. and peradventure stormy; some disperse the clouds,
DESCRIBE or set down the winds according to and are clear.
the seaman's industry; and give them names
either new or old, so that you keep yourself con- Divers qualities of winds.
stant to them. 7. Inquire, and give account, which are the
Winds are either general or precise, either pe- winds of all the forenamed sorts or kinds, and
culiar or free. I call them general which always how they vary, according to the regions and places.
blow; precise, those which blow at certain times; There are three local beginnings of winds:
attendants or peculiar, those which blow most either they are thrown and cast down from above,
commonly; free winds, those which blow indif- or they spring out of the earth, or they are made
ferently or at any time. up of the very body of the air.
General winds. Local beginnings of winds.
2. Whether there be any general winds, which 8. According to these three beginnings inquire
are the very self-motion of the air; and if there be concerning winds; namely, which are thrown
any such, in order to what motion, and in what down, out of that which they call the middle replaces they blow. gion of the air; which breathe out of the conPrecise or fixed winds. cavities of the earth, whether they break out
3. What winds are anniversary or yearly winds, together; or whether they breathe out of the earth
returningbyturns; and in what countries Whe imperceivably, and scattering, and afterwards
ther there be any wind so precisely fixed, that it gather together, like rivulets into a river. Finally,
returns regularly at certain days and hours, like which are scatteringly engendered from the swellunto the flowing of the sea 1 ings and dilatations of the neighbouring air!
D Neither are the generations of the winds oriAttending or peculiar winds. ginal only, for some there are also accidental,
4. What winds are peculiar and ordinary in namely, by the compression or restraints of the
countries, which observe a certain time in the air, and by the percussions and repercussions of it.
same countries; which are spring winds, and
which are summer winds; which autumnal, which Accidental generations and productions of winds.
brumal, which equinoctial, which solstitial; 9. Inquire concerning these accidental generawhich are belonging to the morning, which to tions of winds; they are not properly generations
noon, which to the evening, and which to the of winds; for they rather increase and strengthen
night. winds, than produce and excite them.
5. What winds are sea winds, and what winds Hitherto of the community of winds. There
blow from the continent I and mark and set down are also certain rare and prodigious winds, such
the differences of the sea and land winds carefully, as are called tempests, whirlwinds, and storms.
as well of those which blow at land and sea, as These are above ground. There are likewise
of those which blow from land and sea. some that are subterraneal and under ground,
whereof some are vaporous and mercurial, they are
Free winds.
perceivable in mines; some are sulphurous, they
3. Whether winds do not blow from all parts are sent out, getting an issue by earthquakes, or
of heaven. do flame out of fiery mountains.
Winds do not vary much more in the parts of
heaven from which they blow, than in their own Extraordinary winds and sudden blasts.
qualities. Some are vehement, some mild, some 10. Inquire concerning such rare and prodiconstant, some mutable; some hot, some cold, gious winds, and of all miraculous and wonderful
some moistening and dissolving; some drying and things done by winds.
iistringent; some gather clouds and are rainy, From the several sorts of winds, let the inqui438