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cycle, consisting of about eleven years, as coincident with the 

 above period. Xo doubt were any such coincidence thoroughly 

 established, it would afford an important clue to the explanation 

 of a large class of meteorological phenomena, but at present it can 

 hardly be taken into the account, whatever further research may 

 determine upon the subject. The evidence, too, of different 

 observers is conflicting. Dr. Meldrum, of the Mauritius, who first 

 started the hypothesis as regards the rainfall, expressed his belief, 

 based on many years' observations, that the wet periods coincided 

 Avith years of maximum sunspots, and dry periods with years of 

 minimum sunspots, and others have arrived at the same conclusion. 

 Yet there are some who would set it just the reverse, and it is 

 clear such a question, though each observer may be right, or think 

 himself right, in regard to his own locality, could not be generally 

 settled without a very close comparison of registers kept at 

 different stations and in different countries, and for long periods 

 of time. It niight even lie necessary first to ascertain whether 

 the rainfall of the whole earth is a constant or variable quantity 

 from year to j'eaz*, however extreme may be the differences of 

 rainfall in different parts of the earth. It need hardly be said 

 that this is what Ave can scarcely hope ever to determine with any 

 approach to accuracy. 



The necessity of taking a broader view of things than can be 

 got in a few limited localities, for right consideration of a question 

 of this kind, ^Yil\ at once appear if we look to the weather 

 circumstances of other countries, and not to our own exclusively, 

 during this last summer. Here in England we have had a cold, 

 wet, miserable summer from beginning to end. It has been the 

 same in some parts of France, as Avell as in some other countries 

 on the Continent. But has it been universal over Europe ? Not, 

 according to statements in the public papers. Prior to about the 

 middle of September, the weather is said to have been " fine, dry, 

 and warm over the southern parts and the Mediterranean : at 

 Scutari four months of drought came to an end on the 16th of 



