CENTURY IX. 431 



of woods and hills, the air is more unequal than in 

 others ; and inequality of air is ever an enemy to 

 health ; it were good to take two weather-glasses, 

 matches in all things, and to set them, for the same 

 hours of one day, in several places, where no shade 

 is, nor inclosures ; and to mark when you set them, 

 how far the water cometh ; and to compare them, 

 when you come again, how the water standeth then ; 

 and if you find them unequal, you may be sure that 

 the place where the water is lowest is in the warmer 

 air, and the other in the colder. And the greater 

 the inequality be, of the ascent or decent of the 

 water, the greater is the inequality of the temper of 

 the air. 



812. The predictions likewise of cold and long 

 winters, and hot and dry summers, are good to be 

 known, as well for the discovery of the causes, as for 

 divers provisions. That of plenty of haws, and hips, 

 and brier-berries, hath been spoken of before. If 

 wainscot, or stone, that have used to sweat, be more 

 dry in the beginning of winter, or the drops of the 

 eaves of houses come more slowly down than they 

 use, it portendeth a hard and frosty winter. The 

 cause is, for that it sheweth an inclination of the air 

 to dry weather, which in winter is ever joined with 

 frost. 



813. Generally a moist and cool summer por 

 tendeth a hard winter. The cause is, for that the 

 vapours of the earth are not dissipated in the summer 

 by the sun ; and so they rebound upon the winter. 



814. A hot and dry summer, and autumn, and 



