Remarks on Mr. Ffend's "Evening Armisements." 211 



ance with the positions of the starry host, and the appellations 

 which are usually given to the most conspicuous amongst them. 



Evening Amusements for 1817 has this day been received, 

 completing my set of a work which I estimate not meanly. 



The patriot, the philosopher, the admirer of civil and religious 

 liberty, may by some of his readers be suspected to have been 

 planet-'itruck, or under the dire potency of lunar injluence; but 

 with different impressions I have perused animadversions which 

 do not manifest that spirit of liberality which I have long con- 

 sidered one of his characteristics. If a few animadversions on 

 the subject are admissible in your pages, I beg leave to offer 

 them. 



There are some remarks on which I shall say nothing, not 

 being disposed at this time to argue in defence of the dark-eyed, 

 llack-huired, wunderins, Sibyls, nor of those who jjractise what 

 is commonlv denominated astrology; neither have I any charge 

 to bring against the spots on the sun on account of the late 

 rainy season. But that rain is produced by peculiar changes in 

 the atmosphere, and there must be some preceding operations to 

 occasion those changes, I presume is indisputable. The ques- 

 tion then is — why not the motions of the planetary bodies ? 



Mr. Frend is not called upon to subscribe to the doctrine of 

 planetary influence : but as dogmatism in science as well as re- 

 ligion, whether on the orthodox or heterodox side of the ques- 

 tion, is not amiable;— I wish to enter my protest against a sen- 

 timent which he ])ub!ishcs without any argument to support it. 

 Whatever mav be the views of the writer of Moore's Almanack, 

 1 am persuaded that, in avowing my opinion of planetary in- 

 fluence on the atmosphere, I do not act under a delusion, and 

 feel conlident that I harbour no wish to delude others. 



In opinions, as in the u-alers, there may he flows and ebbs; 

 and some persons do not hesitate to ascribe them alike to the 

 influence of the planets. Whatever unknown cause may pro- 

 duce the former, I cannot see why the correctness of the now 

 generally received opinion respecting the latter should be de- 

 nied. 



I remember that in 1811, on reading Evening Amusements for 

 February, I inferred that Mr. Frend was a believer at least in 

 atmospherical astrology; and although the publication for the 

 present year is replete with sentiments in ort'osrnoN ; perhaps, 

 like the planets themselves, they may ap])ear retrograde for 

 a season, and then i>ecoine dikkct. 



We read, p. 21 : " Freedom of mind is a blessing which can- 

 not be appreciated by those who have it not, nor too highly 

 valued by those who are in possession of it." Again : " I write 

 O 2 for 



