M‘Sweeny, on the Climate of Ireland. 187 
We shall now have to direct attention to the climate of England in the historical 
period. According to Doctor Halley, Cwsar landed in England in the latter end of 
August; an attempt has been made on this computation, to prove that the harvests 
were earlier at that time than at present, from a passage in his commentaries, where 
it is stated that the corn was all reaped except in one place. But by reading Czsar 
attentively, it is easy to see that he alludes to the country near the camp, and that this 
sweeping conclusion cannot be admitted. . 
The Britons, who after the first battle had agreed to submit, no sooner learned that 
the Roman fleet had been damaged, than they resolved to break off negotiations, and 
to starve the Romans, ‘‘frwmento commeatuque nostros prohibere.” ‘They hoped by 
preventing the return of the Romans, that no one after, would attempt to pass into 
Britain for the purpose of waging war. 
Under such circumstances, it is not to be supposed, that Cesar would be very parti- 
cular in waiting until the very last day for the ripening of the corn; on the con- 
trary, he would be willing to lay his hands on any thing that might support his troops. 
“ dt Cesar etsi nondum eorum consilia cognoverat, tamen et ex eventu naviwmn 
suarum, et ex eo quod obsides dare intermiserant, fore id quod accidit suspicabatur. 
Itaque ad omnes casus subsidia comparabat. Nam et frumentum ex agris quotidie 
in castra conferebat.” 
He also repaired his damaged fleet ; and while these matters were going on, the 
soldiers stationed before the camp, informed him that an unusual dust was to be seen 
in the direction in which the legion had gone, which, according to custom, had been 
sent out to forage. He hastened to their assistance, and found them engaged with 
the Britons, who had formed an ambuscade for them in a place where the corn had 
remained uncut, and who attacked them while engaged in reaping——‘‘ Nam quod 
omni, ex reliquis partibus demesso frumento pars una erat reliqua suspicati hostes 
huc nostros esse venturos.” Surely it cannot be contended for with any reason, from 
this passage, that all the corn in Britain was reaped except in this place. The passage 
_has reference only to the neighbourhood of the camp; all the corn on the ground 
within sight of the camp, was probably cut down by the Romans themselves, except in 
the spot where the ambuscade was laid for them : Cvesar informs us that they were daily 
employed about it. Its being not quite ripe would not prevent them, situated as they 
were ; besides the number of days which elapsed from the time of their fleet being 
injured, until this engagement, is not mentioned. 
We may infer from the dust seen from the camp, that the weather was at the time, 
dry. The account of tlie weather after the engagement, coincides with the variability 
of the climate of England in modern times—“ Secute sunt, continuos complures 
dies, tempestates que et nostros in castris continerent, et hostem a pugna prohiberent.” 
Thus this passage in the 4th Book of Czsar, is far from proving that a change has 
taken place in the climate of England. 
VOL. XVII. 2x 
