.'26 



Jul}' the weather improved and became more setth'd, Mr. Glaisher 

 ending with the remai-k " that there is no instance on record of a 

 wet June being followed by a wet July." The present year, there- 

 fore, 1879, in which tlie excessive wet of June prevailed, though 

 to a less degree, through the months of both July and August, 

 stands out markedly as perhaps the most exceptional of any, of 

 which we have reliable accounts, in this country. 



It is probable, however, that extreme seasons, such as are above 

 spoken of, have recurred in all times at intervals, though we may 

 have very slight details on record by which we can clearly mark 

 them down. Previous to those mentioned by Mr. Glaisher. 

 towards the end of last century, there are short notices to be 

 found of several summers which, from what is said of them, must 

 have been quite of an abnormal character. Thus, the summer oi' 

 1750 is described as having been "exceedingly cold, and scarcely a 

 day without rain."'" In June of the previous year, 1749, there 

 was " ice in London in large pieces ; at Stockport, ice on the 

 river strong enough to bear a dog, and snow two inches deep." 

 There had been a great snow storm in Scotland the month 

 previous (May) in which " 800 or 900 black cattle perished." t 

 The summer of 1735 was "remarkably cold and wet, like 

 winter." % -A- curious extract from the " Parish Register of 

 Whitstable and Seasalter, in Kent," Avas sent to the Times in 

 September last, respecting the summer of 1 725, which is spoken 

 of as having been " the most dreadful for continual rains, cold, 

 and tempests that ever any history mentions. Not a day from 

 May to October mthout rain." If we go back to the 17th century, 

 we find Evelyn recording in his " Diary," under the date of 1692, 

 July 25th, " This" whole summer was exceeding wet and rainy ; 

 the like had not been known since 1648." And this fact is 

 confirmed by another statement on record of the same summer as 

 " cold, and a great deluge of rain till reaping time." § Pepys, in 



• Chroaology of the Seasons, p. 61. t Id., p. 58. : Id., p. 47. 

 § Chronology of the Seasons, p. 34. 



