5o6 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



He was the ' pooh-bah ' of the court, occupying the positions of physi- 

 cian, chemist, printer, librarian, drawer of horoscopes, astronomer, etc. 

 He compiled annually an almanac in which he indicated the principal 

 weather events, including the temperature for each day, besides the 

 general character of the seasons and the year. This almanac had enor- 

 mous success for twenty years or more, and helped to amass a fortune 

 for the author. 



I have before me a little volume holding between its covers copies, 

 for the years 1791-1800, inclusive, of an almanac published in London 

 by one Francis Moore, physician. This almanac in its day had great 

 sale and reputation. It gives predictions by months and also by 

 quarters, based, as it says, 'upon observations of the influence of the 

 Planets.' Besides the weather predictions, Dr. Moore seems to have 

 read the horoscope, and prophesies about everything else in the universe. 

 A few quotations taken at random might be interesting. " Summer 

 Quarter, 1794. The Position of Saturn causeth Cold and dry Diseases 

 proceeding from Melancholy, mixed with tough Phlegm, causing Ob- 

 struction and Indigestion in the Stomach, Heaviness in the Head, etc., 

 the cure of which must be left to the care of learned and able Physi- 

 cians; as for the Weather Consult the Calendar Part." Consulting 

 the Calendar Part, I find the following predictions : For June, " Eain 

 (more or less) may be expected about the 8th, 17th, 24th and 30th days 

 of this month ; the day before or the day after." The July and August 

 predictions are similar to this, only a little variation in the dates. For 

 January, 1794, we read the following forecast : " Eain or snow (more 

 or less) may be expected about the 2nd, 10th, 16th and 28th of this 

 month; the day before or the day after; that is, within the Triduum, 

 or Compass of three days." 



I also have before me a copy of ' Word and Works ' for January, 

 1904, containing the weather forecasts of Eev. I. E. Hicks for that 

 month. As these forecasts, as printed, take up more than two columns 

 in that paper, I will not give them in full, but confine myself to exact 

 quotations from the salient features: 



:< Forecast for January, 1904. We enter the new year in the midst 

 of a Venus perturbation. This will insure some very great extremes 

 of temperature, with violent storms and blizzards during the regular 

 and re-actionary storm period. The first storm period is central on 

 the 2nd, 3rd and 4th." (Central where, it does not say.) "During 

 this period we have the moon in opposition, etc. A general reaction 

 to warmer will set in to the west as we enter this period ; the barometer 

 will fall decidedly, and storms of winter wind and rain will turn to 

 gales and blizzards as they advance eastward on and touching the 2nd, 

 3rd and 4th. Look for sudden reaction from moderate to extreme 

 cold weather immediately behind the rain stages of storms at this and 



