CENTURY IX. 67 



quickly or no ; for that likewise may disclose the 

 quality of the air, and vapour of the earth, more or 

 less corrupted. 



807. A dry March, and a dry May, portend a 

 wholesome summer, if there be a showering April 

 betAveen : but otherwise it is a sign of a pestilential 

 year. 



808. As the discovery of the disposition of the air 

 is good for the prognostics of wholesome and unwhole 

 some years ; so it is of much more use for the choice 

 of places to dwell in : at the least, for lodges and 

 retiring places for health (for mansion-houses respect 

 provisions as well as health) ; wherein the experiments 

 above-mentioned may serve. 



809. But for the choice of places or seats, it is good 

 to make trial not only of aptness of air to corrupt, but 

 also of the moisture and dryness of the air, and the 

 temper of it in heat or cold ; for that may concern 

 health diversly. We see that there be some houses 

 wherein sweet-meats will relent, and baked meats will 

 mould, more than in others ; and wainscots will also 

 sweat more ; so that they will almost run with water : 

 all which (no doubt) are caused chiefly by the moist- 

 ness of the air in those seats. But because it is better 

 to know it before a man buildeth his house, than to 

 find it after, take the experiments following. 



. 810. Lay wool; or a spunge, or bread, in the place 

 you would try, comparing it with some other places ; 

 and see whether it doth not moisten, and make the 

 wool, or spunge, &c., more ponderous than the other : 

 and if it do, you may judge of that place as situate in 

 a gross and moist air. 



811. Because it is certain that in some places, either 



