INTRODUCTION. XXVll. 



Thus the skilful naturalist and philosopher would 

 be able to ascertain the period of the year by the 

 flowers by day, and by the stars by night. To- 

 day, for example, we examine tlie garden : we 

 observe the scarlet lychins just beginning to blow, 

 the sweet Williams rather more out, Canterbury 

 bells in flower, abundance of poppies, and other 

 signs of midsummer, whence we know tlie Sum- 

 mer Solstice is at hand. 



At night we look about ten o'clock into the 

 sky : we observe Arcturus known by his brazen 

 colour in the west. The bright star in the Harp 

 kiiown by its purer wliite light is approaching 

 the meridian. Tlie Crowji of Ariadne has passed 

 it already ; rather more to the eastward are to be 

 seen the bright stars in the Swan, and further 

 south that in tlu^ Eagle. Still further south, and 

 near to tlie horizon, is Ajitares the bright star in 

 the heart of the Scorpion known by the rapid 

 permutations of colour exhibited by its twinkling. 

 Northeast we may observe Cassiopeia's Chair, a 

 constellation whose stars make a sort of irregular 

 letter W, ascending the Pole as midnight ap- 

 proaches. 



The Weather now is hottest of the whole 

 year, particularly at the latter end of the period, 

 when it sometimes gives place to a series of aestival 

 showers. The long and nightless days, for there 

 is no night now, only a sort of twilight, are fully 



