OF WINDS. 295 



74. Upon the approach of wind, swine will be so terrified 

 and disturbed, and use such strange actions, that country 

 people say that creature only can see the wind, and perceive 

 the horridness of it. 



75. A little before the wind spiders work and spin care 

 fully, as if they prudently forestalled the time, knowing that 

 in windy weather they cannot work. 



76. Before rain, the sound of bells is heard further off; 

 but before wind it is heard more unequally, drawing near 

 and going further off, as it doth when the wind blows 

 really. 



77. Pliny affirms for a certain, that three-leaved grass 

 creeps together, and raises its leaves against a storm. 



78. He says likewise that vessels, which food is put into, 

 will leave a kind of sweat in cupboards, which presage 

 cruel storms. 



Monition. Seeing rain and wind have almost a common 

 matter, and seeing always before rain there is a certain con 

 densation of the air, caused by the new air received into 

 the old, as it appears by the sounding of the shores, and 

 the high flight of herns, and other things; and seeing the 

 wind likewise thickens (but afterward in rain the air is more 

 drawn together, and in winds contrariwise it is enlarged), 

 of necessity winds must have many prognostics common 

 with the rain. Whereof advise with the prognostics of rain, 

 under their own title. 



Imitations of Winds. 



To the three and thirtieth article. Connexion. 



If men could be persuaded not to fix their contemplations 

 overmuch upon a propounded subject, and reject others, as 

 it were, by the by; and that they would not subtilize 

 about that subject in infinitum, and for the most part un- 

 profitably, they would not be seized with such a stupor as 

 they are ; but transferring their thoughts, and discoursing, 

 would find many things at a distance, which near at hand 

 are hidden. So that as in the civil law, so we must likewise 

 in the law of nature, we must carefully proceed to semblable 

 things, and such as have a conformity between them. 



1. Bellows with men are ^Eolus his bags, out of which 

 one may take as much as he needeth. And likewise spaces 

 between, and openings of hills, and crooks of buildings, are 

 but, as it were, large bellows. Bellows are most useful 

 either to kindle fire or for musical organs. The manner of 



