158 History of the IVeath&i-. 



pened hi May,) was murcler; he replied, that he could not tell, 

 but there had been fine weather ever since. 



The first year of the ISth century was very warm, and the two 

 following years were of the same description. 



It is a singular coincidence, that in 17 1^, the distance precisely 

 of 100 years frum the present, the weather was extremely hot and 

 dry all over Europe. The air felt so oppressive, that all the 

 theatres were shut in Paris. Scarcely any rain fell for tlie space 

 of nine months, and the springs and rivers were dried up. The 

 following year was equally hot. Tiie thermometer at Paris rose 

 to 98 degrees by Fahrenheit's scale. The grass and corn were 

 {juite parched. In some places the fruit-trees blossomed two o» 

 three times. 



Both the years 1723 and 1724 were dry and hot. 



The vear 1745 was remarkably warm and dry, l)nt the following 

 year was still hotter ; insomuch that the grass vvilhercd, and the 

 leaves dropt from the trees. Neither rain nor dew fell for several 

 months; and on the Continent, prayers were offered up in the 

 churches to implore the bounty of refreshing showers. 



In 1748, the summer was again very warm. 



In 17>^4, it v«as likewise extremely warm. 



The years 1760 and 1761 were both of them remarkably hot j 

 and so was the year 1763. 



In 1774, it was excessively hot and dry. 



Both the years 1778 and 1779 were warm and very dry. 



The year 1788 was also very hot and dry; and of the same 

 character was 1811, famous for its excellent vintage, and distin- 

 guished by the appearance of a brilliant comet. 



MEAN TEMPERATUaE OF THE EARTH. 



According to Laplace, any actual diminution of the mean tem- 

 perature of the earth would be detected by a diminution of the 

 length of the day. It appears by computation, that one degree 

 of Fahrenheit's thermometer would make an alteration of nearly 

 one second in the length of a day, and four or five minutes ia 

 that of a year. , 



MKTEORO- 



