62 On Wiltshire Weather Proverbs and Weather Fallacies. 
Leaving now the moon for awhile, I may class amongst common 
weather fallacies the very popular notion that wet or fine weather 
on certain days portends continuance of such, or indeed any special 
weather: as indeed the famous Naturalist, John Ray, two hundred 
years ago wrote to good old credulous John Aubrey: “TI reject as 
superstitious all prognostics from the weather on particular days.” 
This remark was called forth by Aubrey having written. “In South 
Wiltshire the constant observation is, that if droppes doe hang upon 
the hedge on Candlemas day, that it will be a good pease yeare:”?* 
and then he added his own opinion, “ This is generally agreed to be 
‘matter of fact, the reason perhaps may be that there rise certain 
unctuous vapours which may cause that fertility.” I fancy however 
that we shall be more inclined to agree with honest John Ray. 
Few however are so matter of fact as to pay no heed to the weather 
on St. Swithun’s day,? for all know the proverb, couched in a variety 
of words :— 
‘‘ Saint Swithun’s day, if thou dost rain, 
For forty days it will remain ; 
Saint Swithun’s day, if thou be fair, 
For forty days ’twill rain nae mair.” 
A proverb which has its counterpart across the Channel in the feast 
of St. Medard :—* 
“¢§ il pleut le jour de St. Medard, 
Il pleut quarante jours plus tard.” 
And again another proverb. fixes on a date midway between those 
just mentioned :— 
‘‘ Tf the first of July be rainy weather, 
’Twill rain more or less for four weeks together.” 
If St. Swithun however is the patron of rain, St. Bartholemew 

1 There is a proverb in Wiltshire to that effect :— 
«« Qn Candlemas day if the thorns hang a drop 
You are sure of a good pea crop.” 
2 July 15th; 0.8. July 27th. 
3 June 8th; 0.8, June 20th. 
