LUNAR INFLUENCES. 



moon's attraction, like the tides of the ocean. We have shown, 

 however, in another number of this series, that there are no 

 grounds whatever, either in theory or in observation, for im- 

 puting to the moon any such meteorological influence, and that, 

 as a matter of fact, there is no such accordance or correspondence 

 whatever between the lunar phases and the changes of the 

 weather. 



There are, however, a numerous class of other influences 

 which popular opinion has imputed to our satellite, which we 

 propose to examine, and which, however absurd some of them 

 may appear in a scientific point of view, claim to be seriously 

 considered, inasmuch as they have prevailed among mankind in 

 almost all countries and throughout all ages. 



According to these popular opinions and traditions, our 

 satellite is responsible for a vast variety of influences on the 

 organised world. The circulation of the sap in vegetables, the 

 qualities of grain, the goodness of the vintage, are severally laid 

 to its account ; and timber must be planted, transplanted, and 

 felled, the harvest cut down and gathered in, the juice of the 

 grape expressed, and its subsequent treatment regulated at times 

 and under circumstances having determined relations to the 

 aspects of the moon, if excellence be looked for in these 

 products of the soil. According to popular belief, our satellite 

 also presides over human maladies, and the phenomena of the 

 sick chamber are governed by the lunar phases ; nay, the very 

 marrow of our bones and the weight of our bodies suffer 

 increase or diminution under its influence. Nor is its influence 

 limited to mere physical and organic effects ; it extends its sway 

 into the region of intellectual phenomena, and notoriously 

 governs mental derangement. 



If such doctrines and opinions were limited to particular 

 nations, or prevailed only at particular epochs, they would be 

 less entitled to serious consideration. But it is a curious fact, 

 and one which it is extremely difficult to account for, that many 

 of these doctrines prevail and have prevailed among nations and 

 people so distant and unconnected, that it is impossible to 

 imagine the same errors to have had the same origin. At all 

 events ^he extent and long continuance of their prevalence 

 entitles them to grave investigation. "We propose, therefore, at 

 present to state some of the principal facts and arguments 

 bearing on these points, for the collection of most of which we 

 are indebted to the labours and research of M. Arago. 



To analyse all the popular opinions which relate to lunar 

 influences would require a volume. We shall confine ourselves 

 therefore to the principal of them, and shortly examine how 

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