134 THE WEATHER. 



rises, near the full of the moon, brings fair weather; 

 if this happens in the new moon, it brings rain in 

 the end ; and on the contrary, if before the sun 

 rises, in the old moon, rain at the new moon. 



4th. Sudden rains do not last long ; but when 

 the air grov/s thick by degrees, and the sun and 

 moon and stars, shine dimmer and dimmer, it is 

 likely to rain for some hours. If it begins to rain 

 an hour or two before sun-rising, it is likely to be 

 fair before noon, but if the rain begins an hour or 

 two after sun-rising, it is likely to rain all that day, 

 except the rainbow be seen before it begins to rain. 



5th. Signs of rain. The air is inclined to rain 

 when, at night, you hear the sound of bells, the 

 noise of water, or of beasts of any kind, or any 

 other noises, unassisted by the direction of the 

 wind, more plainly than at other times. The sink- 

 ing of rivers, more than usual, at some seasons, is a 

 certain presage of much rain to follow, and the re- 

 verse after the fall of much rain, indicating dry 

 Aveather. If the earth or other moist places emit 

 any extraordinary smell, rain follows. Dews lying 

 long in the morning, signify fair weather ; small 

 dews, and they soon vanishing, rain. If the colors 

 of the rainbow tend more to red than any other color, 

 wind follows ; if green or blue, then rain. 



6th. The wind. It has been observed in Eng- 

 land, that in eight years together, there was as much 

 north-west wind as there was north-east, and con- 

 sequently as many wet years as there was dry : 

 whether the same holds good in our country, has 

 not been correctly ascertained, but with some care 

 it could easily be proved. 



When the wind blows from the north-east, and 

 continues two or three days without rain, and hath 



