the air, on a balance, is seldom debtor to itself; nor do the seasons succeed each other in the same tenor for two years together. Upon this Mr. Worlidge remarks, in addition to the above, that if at the begin ning of the winter the south-wind blow, and then the north, it is likely to be a cold winter; but if the north-wind first blow, and then the south, it will be a warm and mild winter. If the oak bear much mast, it foreshows a long and hard winter. The same has been observed of hips and haws. If broom be full of flowers, it usually signifieth plenty.

grain.

Mark well the flow'ring almonds in the wood;
If od❜rous blooms the bearing branches load,
The glebe will answer to the sylvan reign,
Great heats will follow, and large crops
of
But if a wood of leaves o'ershade the tree,
Such and so barren will the harvest be.
In vain the hind shall vex the threshing floor,
For empty chaff and straw will be thy store..

VIRGIL

This observation, says Mr. Worlidge, hath proved for the most part true for several years now past; as in 1673 and 1674 there were but few nuts, and cold and wet harvests: in 1675 and 1676, were plenty of nuts, and heavy and dry harvests; but more especially in 1676 there was a great show of nuts, and a very hot and dry harvest succeeded.

2. Dr. Herschel's Prognostics from the Moon. The following table, ascribed to this illustrious astronomer, is taken from the European Magazine, vol. lx, p. 24. It is constructed upon a philosophi cal consideration of the attraction of the sun and moon in their several positions respecting the earth, and, confirmed by the experience of many years actual observation, will, without trouble, suggest to the observer what kind of weather will most probably follow the moon's entrance into any of her quarters; and that so near the truth, that in very few instances will it be found to fail.

Hence the nearer the time of the moon's entrance, at full and change or quarters, is to midnight (that is, within two hours before and after midnight), the more fair the weather is in summer, but the nearer to noon the less fair.

t

The moon's entrance, at full, change, and quarters, during six of the afternoon hours, viz. from four to ten, may be followed by fair weather; but this is mostly dependent on the wind. The same entrance during all the hours after midnight, except the two first, is unfavourable to fair weather: like, nearly, may be observed in winter.

the

3. Select Proverbs relative to the Weather.

It is an observation of Lord Bacon's, that proverbs are the philosophy of the common people,' or, in other words, they are trite remarks, generally founded in truth, and admirably adapted for recollection. Our forefathers had an abundance of odd sayings on the subject of the weather, and some proverbs for every month in the year. These, with some others, we copy from Mr. Ray's Collection, and offer them to our readers, not as infallible guides, but as useful helps for judging of the various changes in the weather. A careful comparison of these sayings with the various phenomena which they promise to foretel, is the only method of proving their truth or falsehood. 1. Janiveer freeze the pot by the fire. If the grass grow in Janiveer,

It grows the worse for't all the year.

2. Who in Janiveer sows oats, gets gold and groats; Who sows in May, gets little that way.

If Janiveer calends be summerly gay,

'Twill be winterly weather till the calends of May. 3. On Candlemas-day throw candle and candlestick away. When Candlemas-day is come and gone,

The snow lies on a hot stone.

4. February fill dike, be it black or be it white; But if it be white, it's the better to like.

5. Februeer doth cut and shear.

6. The hind had as lief see his wife on the bier,

As that Candlemas-day should be pleasant and clear.

7. February makes a bridge, and March breaks it.

8. March in Janiveer, Janiveer in March I fear.

9. March hack ham, comes in like a lion, goes out like a lamb. 10. A bushel of March dust is worth a king's ransom.

11. March grass never did good.

12. A windy March, and a rainy April, make a beautiful May. A March wisher is never a good fisher.

13. March wind and May sun, make clothes white and maids dun. 14. So many frosts in March, so many in May.

15. March many weathers.

16. March birds are best.

17. April showers bring forth May flowers.

18. When April blows his horn, it's good both for hay and corn.

19. A cold April the barn will fill.

20. An April flood carries away the frog and her brood.

21. A cold May and a windy, makes a full barn and a findy.

22. The merry month of May.

23. April and May are the keys of the year.

24. May, come she early or come she late, she'll make the cow to quake.

25. Beans blow before May doth go.

26. A May flood never did good.

27. Look at your corn in May, and you'll come weeping away; Look at the same in June, and you'll come home in another

tune.

28. Shear your sheep in May, and shear them all away, 29. A swarm of bees in May is worth a load of hay ; But a swarm in July is not worth a fly.

30. Calm weather in June sets corn in tune. 31. If on the eighth of June it rain,

It foretels a wet harvest, men sain.

32. If the first of July it be rainy weather,

'Twill rain more or less for four weeks together. 33. A shower in July, when the corn begins to fill,

Is worth a plough of oxen, and all belongs there till. 34. No tempest, good July, lest corn come off blue by. 35. Dry August and warm, doth harvest no harm. 36. If the twenty-fourth of August be fair and clear, Then hope for a prosperous autumn that year, 37. September, blow soft, till the fruit's in the loft. 38. Good October, a good blast,

To blow the hog acorn and mast.

39. November take flail, let ships no more sail.

40. When the wind's in the east, it's neither good for man nor

beast.

41. When the wind's in the south, it's in the rain's mouth.

42. When the wind's in the south,

43. No weather is ill, if the wind be still.

44. A hot May makes a fat churchyard.
45. When the sloe-tree is as white as a sheet,

Sow your barley, whether it be dry or wet.

46. A green winter makes a fat churchyard. 47. Hail brings frost in the tail.

48. A snow year, a rich year.

49. A winter's thunder's a summer's wonder.

50. Drought never bred dearth in England.

51. Whoso has but a mouth, shall ne'er in England suffer drought.

52. When the sand doth feed the clay, England woe and well-a-day.

53. But when the clay doth feed the sand, Then it is well with England.

54. After a famine in the stall,
Comes a famine in the ball.

55. When the cuckoo comes to the bare thorn,
Sell your cow, and buy your corn:
But when she comes to the full bit,
Sell your corn, and buy your sheep.
If the cock moult before the hen,
We shall have weather thick and thin;
But if the hen moult before the cock,
We shall have weather hard as a block.

56. As the days lengthen, so the cold strengthens.

57.If there be a rainbow in the eve, it will rain and leave.

But if there be a rainbow in the morrow, it will neither lend nor borrow,

58. When the clouds are upon the hills, they'll come down by the

mills.

59. Winter's thunder and summer's flood Never boded Englishman good.

60. If Candlemas-day be fair and bright,

Winter will have another flight:

If on Candlemas-day it be shower and rain,
Winter is gone, and will not come again.

4. The Shepherd of Banbury's Rules.

There is no biography extant of the Shepherd of Banbury; who he was we know not, nor have we any proof that the rules called his were penned by a real shepherd; both these points are, however, immaterial: their truth is their best voucher. In the year 1744, Mr. CLARIDGE published them with