By the Rev. A. C. Smith. 59 
delusion has become so engrained in the hearts of many, that notwith- 
standing the total absence of all argument or reason in favour of it, 
numbers of people of all ranks and classes still cling to it; it may 
be worth while to mention that with a view to allay such popular 
delusions, though without of course for a moment themselves sharing 
in them, some of the savants of France and others of Germany in- 
stituted a long series of careful investigations, the former continued 
during twenty years at the Paris Observatory, the latter during 
twenty-five years at Vienna. Both of these diligently carrried on 
the most rigorous examination of changes of weather in connection 
with the lunar phases; but the declared result of their accurately- 
kept tables showed that there was no connection between them, and 
in short, when theory was set aside, and the matter accurately tested, 
by many thousand facts, during a considerable period of time, it was 
definitely pronounced that “ no correspondence whatever existed be- 
tween the changes of the moon and those of the weather, such as 
7 were popularly supposed.” The stock argument (if argument it can 
be ealled,) of those who uphold the moon’s influence on the weather, 
is, that the moon does undoubtedly attract the waters of the sea ; 
_ but because she causes the tides, which is demonstrable, therefore 
_ that she must needs influence the weather, which is by no means a 
parallel case, and for which there is no show of reason, I cannot 
conceive to be a fair inference. Perhaps it may be generally felt, 
(asa leading gentleman in this county once said to me in speaking 
of this subject,) “I don’t pretend to argue the point, or give any 
reasons for it ; I simply say I must continue to hold it, because, if you 
_ take away the moon as my guide to a change of weather, I havenothing 
7 else left to fall back upon: ” or, as another eager advocate for the 
 Junar influence (though himself by no means a lunatic) remarked to 
_ me, “I don’t say that the weather alters exactly on the day of the 
_ moon’s changes, but you will find it does so within three days before 
_ or after the change of moon:” a proposition with which I most 
: cordially agreed, seeing that the moon changes once in seven days, 
and the “ three days before and three days after” completely occupied _ 
: the whole week; ; so after this fashion it would be strange indeed if 
‘thé weather did zo¢ change within that prolonged period. 
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