116 THE WORLD. 



the varying appearance of the sky, and to distinguish certain mi- 

 nute alterations which usually precede the more important chan- 

 ges. Thus Virgil in one of the most beautiful passages of the 

 Georgics gives for the use of the mariner and husbandman, the 

 warnings which in his time were thought to precede approaching 

 storms of wind, which he observes, well contemplating, the care- 

 ful husbandman will gather his herds into their stalls; they are 

 eleven in number. I. The agitation of the sea, the swelling 

 waves rolling upon the shore. II. Noise from the mountains of 

 the rustling leaves and crackling branches. III. The roaring 

 of the surf as it breaks upon the shore. IV. The murmuring of 

 the groves. V. The flight of sea-birds and their screams. VL 

 Their playing or sporting on the shore. VII. The herons forsa- 

 king their accustomed marshes and mounting aloft. VIII. The 

 fall of meteors, portending winds, and which is thus similarly al- 

 luded to by Milton : 



" Swift as a shooting star, 



In Autumn thwarts the night, when vapors fired 

 Impress the air; and show the mariner 

 From what point of his compass to beware 

 Impetuous winds." 



IX. Nocturnal streams of light, probably the Aurora. X. Straws 

 rising and floating in the air. XL The play of floating feathers 

 driven about upon the surface of the pool. Next he gives twelve 

 prognostics of rain, which were thought so conclusive in their 

 indications that he observes "Never hath a shower hurt any per- 

 son unforewarned," viz: thunder from the north; the clash of east 

 and west winds, and the flight of the cranes into the vallies to 

 avoid the impending tempests. Heifers snuffing the \vind; the 

 circling flight of swallows round the water, and skimming over 

 its surface. The croaking of the frogs; ants busy with their eggs. 

 The rainbow, which was then supposed to have drank the water 

 that supplied the clouds. The hoarse murmur of the flocks of 

 crows. The diving of sea birds and of swans; smoothing and 

 oiling their plumage. A solitary bird pacing the sand; and lastly 

 the gathering of fungous excrescence on the wick of the lamp, 

 causing the oil to sputter and the flame to emit sparks. Prognos- 

 tics of the coming weather drawn from the appearance of the 



