THE WEATHER AND THE SUN. 481 



predictions have been fulfilled. The objection I refer to is this : we 

 know that the weather is seldom alike over very wide regions, while, 

 nevertheless, the celestial bodies present the same aspect toward the 

 whole extent of such regions, or an aspect so nearly the same as to 

 suggest that the same conditions of weather should prevail if the 

 weather really depended on the position of the heavenly bodies. It 

 appears, then, that the inventor of a <really trustworthy system must 

 have a distinct scheme for each part of every continent nay, of every 

 country, if not of every county. This objection is not taken into ac- 

 count, however, by the inventors of systems, while the fact on which 

 it depends affords the means of showing that each prediction has been 

 fulfilled. Thus, suppose "bad weather and much wind" have been 

 predicted on a certain day, and that day is particularly fine and calm 

 in London. If this were urged as an objection to the soundness of the 

 system, the answer would run somewhat on this wise : " Unquestion- 

 ably it was fine in London, but in North Scotland (or in France, or 

 Spain, or Italy, as the case may be) there was very gloomy weather, 

 and in Ireland (suppose) quite strong winds are reported to have pre- 

 vailed in the afternoon." The readiness with which men satisfy them- 

 selves in such cases, corresponds with that mischievous ingenuity 

 wherewith foolish persons satisfy themselves that a fortune-teller had 

 foretold the truth, that a dream had been fulfilled, a superstition justi- 

 fied, and so forth. 



The tendency, at present, among those who are desirous of forming 

 a scheme of weather prediction, is to seek the origin of our weather- 

 changes in changes of the sun's condition, and, by determining the 

 laws of the solar changes, to ascertain the laws which regulate changes 

 in the weather. 



It may be remarked, in passing, that this new phase of the inquiry 

 does not reject planetary influences altogether. The theory is enter- 

 tained by many well-known students of science that changes in the 

 condition of the sun are dependent on the varying positions of the 

 planets ; so that, if it should be established that our weather-changes 

 are connected with solar changes, we should infer that indirectly the 

 planets in their motions rule the weather on our earth. 



I propose now to consider the evidence relating to the sun's influ- 

 ence, and to discuss the question (altogether distinct, be it remarked) 

 whether a means of accurate weather prediction may be obtained if 

 the sun's influence be regarded as demonstrated. 



There is one strong point in favor of the new theory, in the fact that 

 the sun is unquestionably the prime cause of all weather changes. To 

 quote the words of Lieutenant-Colonel Strange, an enthusiastic advo- 

 cate of the theory (and eager to have it tested at this country's charge),. 

 " there can hardly be a doubt that almost every natural phenomenon, 

 connected with the climate can be distinctly traced to the sun as the 

 great dominating force, and it is a natural inference " (though not, as 

 vol. ul 31 



