The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

NATURAL HISTORY OF WINDS. 453
of winds returns after every four years, which of the winds. Then, when they have found a
seems not to be true, for revolutions are not so current, where the air makes no resistance, (as
quick. This indeed hath been by some men's water when it finds a fcalling way,) then, whatso
diligence observed, that greatest and most notable ever semblable matter they find by the way, they
seasons (for heat, snow, frost, warm winters, and take into their fellowship, and mix it with their
cold summers) for the most part return after the currents even as rivers do. So that the winds
revolution of five-and-thirty years. blow always from that side where their nurseries
are which feed them.
The Motion of the rWinds. 5. Where there are no notable nurseries in any
To the twenty-second, twenty-third, twenty-fourth, twenty- certain place, the winds stray very much, and do
fifth, twenty-sixth, and twenty-seventh articles. Con- easily change their current, as in the middle of
nexion. the sea, and large spacious fields.
Men talk as if the wind were some body of it- 6. WVhere there are great nurseries of the winds
self, and by its own force did drive and agitate in one place, but in the way of its progress it
the air. Also, when the wind changes its place, hath but small additions, there the winds blow
they talk as if it did transport itself into another strongly in their beginnings, and by little and
place. This is the vulgar's opinion; yet the little they allay; and contrariwise, where they
philosophers themselves apply no remedy there- find good store of matter to feed on by the way,
unto, but they likewise stammer at it, and do not they are weak in the beginning, but gather
any way contradict and oppose these errors. strength by the way.
1. We must therefore inquire concerning the 7. There are movable nurseries for the winds,
raising of the motion of the winds, and of the namely, in the clouds, which many times are
direction of it, having already i6quired of the carried far away from the nurseries of vapours
local beginnings; and of those winds which have of which those clouds were made, by winds
their beginning of motion in their first impulsion, blowing high; then the nursery of the wind
as in those which are cast down from above or begins to be in that place where the clouds do
blow out of the earth, the raising of their motion begin to be dissolved into wind.
is manifest: others descend below their own be- S. But the whirling of winds does not happen,
ginnings; others ascend, and being resisted by because the wind which blows at first transports
the air, becomre voluminous, especially near the itself, but because either that is allayed and spent,
angles of their violence; but of those which are or brought into order by another wind; and all
engendered everywhere in this inferior air, (which this business depends on the various placings of
are the frequentest of all the winds,) the inquisi- the nurseries of winds, and variety of times,
tion seems to be somewhat obscure, although it when vapours issuing out of these nurseries are
be a vulgar thing, as we have set down in the dissolved.
commnentation under the eighth article. 9. If there be nurseries of winds on contrary
2. We found likewise an image or representa- parts, as one nursery on the south, another on the
tion of this in that close tower which we spake of north side, the strongest wind will prevail; neibefore; for we varied that trial three ways. The ther will there be contrary winds, but the stronger
first was that which we spake of before; namely, wind will blow continually, though it be somea fire of clear burning coals. The second was a what dulled and tamed by the weaker wind, as
kettle of seething water, the fire being set away, it is in rivers, when the flowing of the sea comes
and then the motion of the cross of feathers was in; for the sea's motion prevails, and is the only
more slow and dull. The third was with both fire one, but it is somewhat curbed by the motion of
and kettle; and then the agitation of the cross of the river; and if it so happen that one of those
feathers was very vehement, so that sometimes it contrary winds, namely, that which was the
would whirl up and down, as if it had been in a strongest, be allayed, then presently the contrary
petty whirlwind, the water yielding store of va- will blow, from that side where it blew before,
pours, and the fire which stood by it dissipating but lay hidden under the force and power of the
and dispersing them. greater.
3. So that the chief cause of exciting motion 10. As for example, if the nursery be at the
in the winds is the overcharging of the air by a north-east, the north-east wind will blow; but if
new addition of air engendered by vapours. there be two nurseries of winds, namely, another
Now we must see concerning the direction of in the north, those winds for some tract of way
the motion, and of the whirling, which is a will blow severally, but after the angle of conchange of the direction. fluence where they come together they will blow
4. The nurseries and food of the winds doth to the north-east, or with some inclination, accord
govern their progressive motion; which nur- ing as the other nursery shall prove stronger.
series and feedings are like unto the springs of 11. If there be a nursery of wind on the north
rivers; namely, the places where there are great side, which may be distant from some country
store of vapours, for there is the native country twenty miles, and is the stronger; another on the