. Philosophical transactions. and confequently there can be nofuch thing as a perfeft vacuum in the univerfe. If, on thecontrary, the truth of the preceding experiments be admitted,it will follow, that the conducing power of our atmofphere in-creafes only to a certain height, beyond which this power be-gins to diminifh, till at laft it entirely vanlflies ; but in whatpart of the upper regions of the air thefe limits are placei, Iwill not prefume to determine. It would not, perhaps, havebeen difficult -to have applied the refults of fome of thefe ex-periments to the explanation of meteors, whic
. Philosophical transactions. and confequently there can be nofuch thing as a perfeft vacuum in the univerfe. If, on thecontrary, the truth of the preceding experiments be admitted,it will follow, that the conducing power of our atmofphere in-creafes only to a certain height, beyond which this power be-gins to diminifh, till at laft it entirely vanlflies ; but in whatpart of the upper regions of the air thefe limits are placei, Iwill not prefume to determine. It would not, perhaps, havebeen difficult -to have applied the refults of fome of thefe ex-periments to the explanation of meteors, which are probablyowing to an accumulation of eledtricity. It is not, however,my prefent deflgn to give loofe to my imagination. I am {qi\^iible, that by indulging it too freely, much harm is done to,real knowledge; and therefore, that one fa6t in philofophy wellafcertained is more to be valued than whole volumes of ipecu-latlve hypothefes. dhatham-Place, Feb. 12, 1785. J/„fr,Tmm i:./ /. XXJ ■ Till, IXy, ms. y •:^y<f. [ ^19 3 XV. Experiments and Obfervations relating to Air and Water»By the Rev. Jofeph Prieflley, LL,D. , Read February 24, 1785. EVER fince the difcovery of the diminution of refpirabicair in thofe proceffes which are generally called phlogijiicyit lias been a great objed with philofophers to find what be-comes of the air which difappears in them. Among others, Ihave made and publifhed a variety of experiments with thatview; but though by this means fome farther progrefs wasmade in the philofophy of air, and confequently our know-ledge of the principles, or conflituent parts, of natural fub-fiances was extended, I did not by any means fucceed to myfatisfadion with refpedt to the immediate obje6l of my re-fearches. Others, however, were more fuccefsful, and theirfuccefs has at length enabled me to refume my experimentswith more advantage ; by which means I have been led both toconfirm their conclufions, and, by diverfifying the experi-ments, to throw
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