Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1857-10-30

weather, those alterations OF cloud ard 9
sunshine, of heat and cold, of tempest c
and calm, of rain and drought, by which L
the vegetable and animal world are main
tanned in every vsEiety of climate and on
every quarter of the globe. BY this
machinery of air and vaPor the fruits are
ripened and the harvest developed, by
this the monotouy Of blue armament is
varied by the endless beauties of form
and tint exhibited by clouds. by this the
powerful glare Of sunshine is broken, and /
me trTDes -oI 4he eaitm afv esssSsssa - (
the changes of light and shade. And
what physical or mechanical law, il may
be asked, has decreed that this intefmix- /
ture Of two atmospheres of air and va
por, conspiring and opposing and mutu-
ally balancing and modifying each other,
should surround our globe? Have they
not been provjded for these kind ard be-
nefcent purposes and snot the prorider
entitled to gratitude and love and adora-
tion and worship for the infinite goodness
and wisdom thus displayed?
I But this is not all. The strata Of the
air as we ascend gradually diminishes in
, temperature, ana this diminution is much
more rapid for dry air than it would be
for an atmosphere Of vapor. Hence
: even to the hottest parts of the globe,
, when the air ascends, the vapor which it
carries with it is soon exposed to a much
lower temperature than that by which It
> would be affected if it were not mixed
5 with air. This cold produces partial con-
: densation-clouds are formed-and rain
f is precipitated, and hence refreshing
: showers cheer the animal and vegetable
e tribe even between the tropics.
It That respiratory creatures depend on
the atmosphere for the sustenance OF
their vitality is obvious. The mechani-
cal and chemical apparatus of their
!. breathing organs is expressively con-
structed to be the object OF its operation.
Its relation to vegetable life is not less
important. But besides these qualities
without which life would become extinct
= on the surface of the globe the atmos
5 phere ministers to our uses in a far more
,e exalted manner. 1t is the medium by
= which sound is transmitted, and as th,
ID apparatus of the lungs is adapted to op
Of crate chemically upon it so as to impair
r to the blood the principle by which tba
$ fluid supports life, so the exquisite mech
le anism of the ear is constituted toreceIvt
- the effects of its pulsations, and to trans
rs NIT them to the sensorium to produc,
ir the perceptions Of sound. The mechan
n ism of the organs of hearing. Withou
h. the atmosphere, even supposing we coul
Id live in its absence, however perfect nigh
r have been our organs of speech an
ds hearing, we should have possessed then
a in vain; voice we might have, but n
et word could we utter; listeners we Nigh
n be, but no sound could we hear. En-
Id dowed with the full powers of hearin
# and speaking, we should nevertheless b
On deaf and dumb.
1g But it is not the presence of an atmo'
le. phere only which gives useful place I
h. the powers of speech and hearing. Ha
he the stratum of air in which we live bee
much more or much less dense than it i
re it would have been unsuiled to the powc
sc and susceptibility Of our organs. If tn
in air were in a much more rariiied stat
on the organs of speech must have bee
ID stronger, or those Of hearing more su
ch ceptible. On lofty mountains, in elevate
ro' and therefore rarified strata of air, Il
lld sounds Of the voice are iaaudibe unle
or uttered. with the same exertion as wou
ne, be necessary in addressing a deaf pc
nd son. A pistol discharged on the SUNNI
air Of Mont Blanc sounded not 50 loud as
es- pop-gun. If on the contrary the atmo
be phere were much more dense than it
ca the sounds we are exposed to would b
the come so loud as TO expose the organs
zen hearing to injury.
ure The atmosphere further ministers
ON our convenience by diffusing in an agrs
ich able manner the solar light and by mi
ocy eating its intensity. In this respect t
rec atmosphere may be regarded AZ perfor
he ing with respect to the sun what the i
4 Of perfect transparency Of ground Oh
to shades perform for the glare Of lamI
one In the absence of an atmosphere {
the light Of the sun would only ilIumin'
der those objects on which iis direct "a
.por would fall we should have 10 degrees
ons, Iiqht-all wonId be either exposed to
lose unmitigaied glare Of sunshine, or ]
lnee mersed IN absolute darkness; saade lhe
the would be none. The apartment whC
are easement did Dot face the sun would
a -