The Climate of Middlesex is in general healthy, the greater part of the soil being naturally dry, and the more moist situations well drained. The temperature of the air is nearly the same throughout the county, except where the influence of the Loudon fires extend; but these produce a very sensible effect on the climate of the Metropolis, and its vicinity, by drying and warming the atmosphere, upwards of 800,000 chaldrons of coals being consumed in them annually. "The more stationary winds are from the south-west and the north-east; all others are variable and unsettled. Those from the south-west are supposed to blow nearly six-twelfths of the year; and those from the northeast five-twelfths: the varying winds blow from all the other points of the compass about the other one-twelfth. The greatest falls of rain come from a few points west of the south, and are of the longest continuance when the wind has passed through the east to the south." The extremes of heat and cold, at particular times, has been very great; but the most excessive heat ever recorded to have been felt here, occurred between the eleventh and the eighteenth days of July, in the present year, 1808. In the open air, in the shade, and with a northern aspect, near St. James's Park, the thermometer rose, on those days, to the following extraordinary heights: Monday, July 1180 deg. | Friday, July 15.77 deg. Tuesday, -12.88 do. Saturday, 16.86 do. The greatest heat, it will be observed, was on the Wednesday, when the thermometer, in various parts of London, rose, in the shade, to 95, 100, 101, and 103 degrees; and in the sun, in particular local situations, from 120, and upwards, to 140 degrees! The general height of the mercury in this county, about three o'clock on that day, was 93 degrees, and from 91 to 93 degrees was also the general height throughout England *. The heat The average heat of the West Indies is from 82 to 85 degrees. was so oppressive that both the animal and vegetable parts of Creation suffered greatly. Many laborers in husbandry, and other persons, perished by what in India would be called a stroke of the sun, in different parts of the kingdom; and numerous post and mail-coach horses fell dead on their respective stages. The leaves of trees were shrivelled, as if in the last days of autumn; and many plants, &c. were completely withered and burnt up beneath the scorching rays. These heats were followed by violent tempests and storms of wind; and lumps of ice fell in different parts, so large that several sheep were killed by them. Towards the end of the month, the rains were very heavy and lasting; and were accompanied occasionally with thunder and lightning. On the hottest days during the six yeass preceding those of July, 1808, the thermometer stood at the following heights: The most striking contrast to the above numbers of late years took place on the 24th of January, 1795, when the thermometer fell to 6 degrees below the point marked 0. These extremes, however, very happily for the general healthfulness, but rarely occur; and when they do, are principally of but short continuance. The more common range of the frosts of winter is from 20 to 30 degrees *. The principal RIVERS belonging to this county are, the Thames, the Colne, the Brent, the Cran, the Lea, and the artificial stream, called the New River. The THAMES has been a frequent theme of the poet's eulogy; and Pope, Denham, and Thomson, are included among those who have strung the lyre in praise * All the above remarks on the height of the thermometer refer to the scale of Fahrenheit. |