162 OF PROGNOSTICKS. CHAP. 4. 7. 



changes produced in the weather. We do not 

 know yet what regulates atmospheric changes 

 in general ; how Electricity becomes so distri- 

 buted as to produce those various effects which 

 analogy leads us to ascribe to it ; in short, we 

 have no good general theory of meteorology, 

 as we have of astronomy, mechanics, &c. The 

 old notions of astrologers about the conjunctions 

 of planets involve too many palpable absurdities 

 to allow us to collect any useful information 

 from their writings. 



But it is certain the place of the Moon has 

 much influence on the weather. That changes 

 of weather oftener take place about the full and 

 new of the Moon and about the quadratures, than 

 at other times, is really a fact founded on long 

 observation, and is quite conformable to what 

 we actually know, respecting the Moon's in- 

 fluence on the Tides.* 



There is yet another extremely curious cir- 

 cumstance about the effect of the place of the 

 Moon : it is well known to physicians that there 



* A Proverb says : 



In the wane of the Moon 

 A cloudy morning bodes a fair afternoon. 

 Also. Rain in the new moon, fair in the old, &c. See 

 Kay's Collection of Proverbs, and Erasmi Adagia. 



