The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-15 00:00:00

means so regular as is assumed in this proposition
but this grand system of balancing currents is be-
lieved certainly to exist, and being governed in parti-
cular regions by varying circumstances, give rise to
minor systems of compensating currents. This is the
substance of Mackenzie's discovery ; and any one, in-
deed, may convince himself that such systems prevail
in the atmosphere, by watching, as he has done, the
progress of the clouds ; for in this way he will be
able often to detect more than two such currents ex-
isting together. Upon more minute observation, it
will be found that one of these streams of the air be-
comes suddenly checked, and that the others will
continue to flow on for a time in their primary di-
rection, on account of their original impulse ; and as
a deficiency of the aerial fluid is thus produced in one
part of the atmosphere, an equivalent accumulation
must at the same time result in some other part,
which is the supposed, and indeed the only feasible
cause, of all storms, tornadoes, and other extraordi-
nary phenomena in the system of the weather. "The
wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto
the north : it whirleth about continually, and the
wind returneth again according to his circuits."—
Eccles.
We regret that it should be necessary, at this time
of day, in the nineteenth century, to notice the
.new " Stellar" philosophy, propounded and lately
advocated by certain meteorological journals. This
we look upon as the revival of the follies, the absur-
dities, and superstitions of astrology; and if the in-
fatuation were to be encouraged, we need not wonder
to find the destinies of mankind subjected to the same
fertile source of imposture as they were in the darker
ages of the world. To counteract such an error, it is
imperative to repeat, again and again, that all the
changes in the moon's appearance are satisfactorily
explained, upon the simple facts of the motions of the
moon and earth ; and therefore they neither have, nor
can have, any of those influences which superstition—
the child of ignorance—ascribes to them. Tha
planets being all much more remote from the earth
than the moon is, and having little difference in their
appearances, saving what arises from their own mo-
tions, and those of the earth round the sun, have
nothing whatever about them that claims attention as
connected either with the weather, or the appear-
ances of the year. Influence upon the earth, upon
the changes of the seasons, or upon anything that in any
way affects the comforts or the ordinary pursuits of
mankind, they have none whatever ; and therefore,
the explanations of their appearances and motions are
very properly left to the further study and improve-
ment of astronomical research.

We will examine the "cycle" more particularly on
the publication of Lieutenant Mackenzie's Annual for
1845, which usually makes its appearance long be-
fore its brethren—namely, about the Ist of October
—an announcement for which the public ought to be
indebted to us, as it will afford them an opportunity
of satisfying themselves on the subject of this im-
portant discovery.
DERBY AND LEGER SWEEPS.