Phænomena

The phænomena of the diſtillation of amber favour this opinion: It affords actually a ſort of naphtha, and a petroleum too, of a higher or a lighter brown colour, according to the degree of heat employed, and the length of time ſpent in the operation.

1798 C.E., Pierre Simon La Place, Exposition du Système du Monde (translated as “on the System of the World”), chapter III: “on Time, and its measure”, quoted in:

It is desirable that all people should adopt one and the same æra, independant of moral revolutions, and founded solely on astronomical phænomena. […] The work is divided into chapters. The 1st discusses the diurnal motions of the heavens ; in which the phænomena that ordinarily present themselves are noted and explained.

Without going over the ground so well occupied by those able writers on the subject of storms — Redfield, Reid, Piddington, and Thom—it will be quite sufficient for our present purpose simply to notice the essential phænomena of revolving storms as manifested by the barometer and vane. The usual indications of a storm in connexion with these instruments are the falling of the barometer and the freshening of the wind, and it is generally considered that a rapid fall of the mercury in the hurricane regions invariably precedes the setting in of a storm. There are three classes of phænomena that present themselves to an observer, according as he is situated on the line or axis of translation, or in either the right or left hand semicircle of the storm. These will be rendered very apparent by a little attention to the annexed engraving, fig. 1.