192 M‘Sweeny, on the Climate of Ireland. 
mind about combination, that plenty was not to be expected until Providence would 
send more favourable seasons. 
Howard, in his treatise on the climate of London, treating of the popular opinion 
with regard to St. Swithin’s-day, observes: ‘* To do justice to popular observation, I 
may now state, that in a majority of our summers, a showery period which, with 
some latitude as to time and local circumstances, may be admitted to constitute rain 
for forty days, does come on about the time indicated by this tradition, not that any long 
space before is often so dry as to mark distinctly its commencement ; the tradition is 
so far valuable, as it proves that the summers in this southern part of our island, were 
subject a thousand years ago to occasional heavy rains in the same way as at present.” 
Howard’s Climate of London, Vol. Il. p. 198. 
When the English army were searching for the army of the Scots, to bring them to 
an engagement, near New Castle upon Tyne, in July 1327, the English army suffered 
severely from rain. Froissart describes their situation thus: ‘‘ To add to their un- 
pleasant situation, it had rained all the week, by which their saddles and girths were 
rotted, and the greater part of their cavalry were worn down. They had not where- 
withal to shoe their horses that wanted it, nor had they any thing to clothe themselves 
or preserve them from the rain and cold, but their jerkins or armour, and the green 
huts.”—Froissart’s Chronicles by Johnes, Vol. I. p. 54. 
This quotation from Froissart’ is valuable, as it corroborates the statement of 
Howard. All the ancient accounts we have, tend to prove that the climate of Eng- 
land has not materially changed ; the dress of the Britons, as described by Cesar, is 
well fitted for a humid clime— : 
« Pellibusque sunt yestiti.” 
Cesar de Bello Gal. Lib. V. 
Skins were well adapted for keeping out rain and preserving the animal heat. 
The description of the climate by Tacitus, would hold good for some of the worst 
years that are now experienced in England. It would be very difficult for Mr. Wil- 
liams to get over the quotation from Tacitus. It may be objected to him at every 
turn. This gentleman thinks that the humidity of the summers in England, has 
greatly increased, owing to a change on the surface of the island from the increase of 
hedge rows, from the planting of trees, and from the extension of green crops shading 
the ground, and preventing its being parched up. There can be little doubt but that 
the state of the surface of the island, must have some effect on its temperature ; but 
when it is remembered that hot and cold seasons arise from general causes, and that the 
vast Atlantic is the grand source of moisture ; it is to be supposed that Mr. Williams 
attributed too much to modern improvements. . 
The very observation which he has quoted of a very old gentleman of Worcester, 
on the subject of drought, tells against him—* Never fear, I have often known Eng- 
