2l2 Remarks on Mr. Frend's ^^ Evening Amusements. ** 



for those who will allow me the same freedom I wish them to 

 enjoy." This is rational, thi« is friendly. 



I presume the vvork is in the hands of yonr readers, and shall 

 forbear making many extracts. There is one in 18111 n)ust quote, 

 and two short paragraphs in 1817, which cannot he passed un- 

 noticed. Tlie writer of Moore's Almanack is harshly treated, 

 the speculators on the changes of tlie moon are severely lam- 

 pooned ; and althonuli it is consistent with freedom of thought 

 to admire the wonderful scene of the constellations, and the 

 grand progress of the moon among her starrv contemporaries, 

 thus far we are allowed to l)e free, and no further. 



Mr. F. says there are numerous diaries kept, relative to the 

 weather "not only in our own island, but upon the cotttinent. 

 I have not thought it worth while to examine any of them, but I 

 know a very respectable clerg}1iian who kept a diary of this 

 kind for thirty-ftve years, and he upon examination could not 

 find the least connexion between the moon and the weather." 

 This, sir, is an instance of implicit confidence I never expected 

 to hear from a philosopher : — tlie mode of observation is un- 

 known, it might be totally erroneous; but as Mr. F. did not think 

 it worth while to examine it, I must withhold my assent to the 

 inference, because I cannot understand that which is veiled in 

 all the darkness of unintelligibility. 



Mr. F's invective against the writer of Moore's Almanack re- 

 specting the weather must, I apprehend, be founded on his pre- 

 sumption to exercise \\\s freedom of thought, and in his ex- 

 pressing himself occasionally with less posiliveness than some 

 might expect from a firm believer in the science of atmospherical 

 astrology. 



E,ue7ungj4musements, Feb. 1 811 . " On looking at the space 

 marked out for water, tlie turbulence of the ocean will arise in his 

 mind. The mighty agitation of waters, by the influence of the 

 moon, will excite his attention. "**** In fact, a high tide may 

 he expected this month **** Persons by the sea-side, or on the 

 banks of tide rivers, will be upon their guard on this account for 

 the 24th. **** It may be only a very strong and high tide," &:c. 



I confess I could not divine Mr. Freud's ground for apprehen- 

 sion ; and as his prediction failed, I considered it as one of those 

 errors to which, without further improvement in the astro-science, 

 we are all liable. 



In 1817, we read : '^ As the diaries convince us that all these 

 surmises respecting the moon's influence on the weather are 

 fallacious, so I am inclined to believe the same will be di.scovered 

 to be the case on its pretended influence on the tides. **** And 

 I apprehend that the whole doctrine of the influence of the moon 



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