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Tides in rivers

To Mary Stevenson My dear Friend, London, Sept. 13. 1760 I have your agreable Letter from Bristol, which I take this first Leisure Hour to answer, having for some time been much engag’d in Business. Your first Question, What is the Reason the Water at this Place, tho’ cold at the Spring, becomes warm by…

The Knowledge of Nature

To Mary Stevenson Dear Polly, Cravenstreet, June 11. 1760 ‘Tis a very sensible Question you ask, how the Air can affect the Barometer, when its Opening appears covered with Wood? If indeed it was so closely covered as to admit of no Communication of the outward Air to the Surface of the Mercury, the Change…

Salt Deposits

To Peter Franklin SIR, London, May 7, 1760. It has, indeed, as you observe, been the opinion of some very great naturalists, that the sea is salt only from the dissolution of mineral or rock salt, which its waters happened to meet with. But this opinion takes it for granted that all water was originally…

The Art of Virtue

To Lord Kames My dear Lord, London, May 3. 1760. Your obliging Favour of January 24th. found me greatly indispos’d with an obstinate Cold and Cough accompany’d with Feverish Complaints and Headachs, that lasted long and harass’d me greatly, not being subdu’d at length but by the whole Round of Cupping, Bleeding, Blistering, &c. When…

The More They Are Respected

To Jane Mecom Dear Sister, London, Jan. 9. 1760 I received a Letter or two from you, in which I perceive you have misunderstood and taken unkindly something I said to you in a former jocular one of mine concerning CHARITY. I forget what it was exactly, but I am sure I neither express nor…