Torrida Zona it maketh perpendicularly right Angles in some place or other
at noone, and towards the two Poles very oblique and vneuen Angles. And the
other meane is the longer or shorter continuance of the Sunne aboue the
Horizon. So that wheresoeuer these two causes do most concurre, there is
most excesse of heat: and when the one is wanting, the rigor of the heat is
lesse. For though the Sunne beames do beat perpendicularly vpon any region
subiect vnto it, if it hath no continuance or abode aboue the Horizon, to
worke his operation in, there can no hote effect proceed. For nothing can
be done in a moment. [Sidenote: Note this reason.] And this second cause
mora Solis supra Horizontem, the time of the sunnes abiding aboue the
Horizon, the old Philosophers neuer remembred, but regarded onely the maner
of Angles that the Sunne beames made with the Horizon, which if they were
equall and right, the heat was the greater, as in Torrida Zona: if they
were vnequall and oblique, the heat was the lesse, as towards both Poles,
which reason is very good and substantiall: for the perpendicular beames
reflect and reuerberate in themselues, so that the heat is doubled, euery
beame striking twice, and by vniting are multiplied, and continue strong in
forme of a Columne. But in our latitude of 50. and 60. degrees, the Sunne
beames descend oblique and slanting wise, and so strike but once and
depart, and therefore our heat is the lesse for any effect that the Angle
of the Sunne beames make. Yet because wee haue a longer continuance of the
Sunnes presence aboue our Horizon then they haue vnder the Equinoctial; by
this continuance the heat is increased, for it shineth to vs 16. or 18.
houres sometime, when it continueth with them but twelue houres alwayes.

And againe, our night is very short, wherein cold vapours vse to abound,
being but sixe or eight houres long, whereas theirs is alwayes twelue
houres long, by which two aduantages of long, dayes and short nights,
though we want the equalitie of Angle, it commeth to passe that in Sommer
our heat here is as great as theirs is there, as hath bene proued by