METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 429 



BLACK SPRING; 1771. 



Dr. Johnson says, that "in 1771 the season was so severe in the 

 island of Skye, that it is remembered by the name of the 'black 

 spring.' The snow, which seldom lies at all, covered the ground for 

 eight weeks, many cattle died, and those that survived were so 

 emaciated that they did not require the male at the usual season." 

 The case was just the same with us here in the south ; never were 

 so many barren cows known as in the spring following that dreadful 

 period. Whole dairies missed being in calf together. 



At the end of March the face of the earth was naked to a sur- 

 prising degree. Wheat hardly to be seen, and no signs of any 

 grass ; turnips all gone, and sheep in a starving way. All pro- 

 visions rising in price. Farmers cannot sow for want of rain. 

 WHITE. 



ON THE DARK, STiLL, DRY, WARM WEATHER, 



OCCASIONALLY HAPPENING IN THE WINTER MONTHS. 



TH' imprison'd winds slumber within their caves 

 Fast bound : the fickle vane, emblem of chai.ge, 

 Wavers no more, bng settling to a point. 



All nature nodding seems composed : thick stream 

 From land, from flood up-drawn, dimming the da} 

 ' ' Like a dark ceiling ttand : " slow thro' liie r.ir 

 Gossamer fl >ats, or stretch' d from blade to L'ads 

 The wavy net-work whitens all the field. 



Push'd by the weightier atmosphere, up springs 

 The ponderous Mercury, from scale to scale 

 Mounting, amidst the Torricellian tube.' 6 



While high in air, and pois'd upon his wings 

 Unseen, the soft, enamour'd wood-lark runs 

 Thro' all his maze of melody ; the brake 

 Loud with the black-bird's bolder note resounds. 



Sooth' d by the genial warmth, the cawing rook 

 Anticipates the spring, selects her mate, 

 Haunts her tall nest-trees, and with sedulous care 

 Repairs her wicker eyrie, tempest torn. 



The ploughman inly smiles to see upturn 

 H is mellow glebe, best pledge of future crop : 

 With glee the gardener eyes his smoking beds: 

 fen pining sickness feels a short relief. 



* The Barometer. 



