THIRD DAY.] SUNSHINE. 81 



does not permit us to make good carmine." " Stay/' 

 says the Frenchman, ' ' do not deceive yourself : what 

 kind of weather is it now ?" " A bright sunny day/' 

 said the Englishman. " And such are the days/' said 

 the Frenchman, "on which I make my colour. 

 Were I to attempt to manufacture it on a dark 

 or cloudy day, my result would be the same as yours. 

 Let me advise you, my friend, always to make carmine 

 on bright and sunny days/' "I will/' says the 

 Englishman; "but I fear I shall make very little 

 in London ." 



POIET. Your anecdote is as much to the purpose 

 as that of Physicus ; yet I am much obliged to you 

 for the hint respecting the effect of shadow, for I have 

 several times in May and June had to complain of too 

 clear a sky, and wished, with Cotton, for 



A day with not too bright a beam ; 

 A warm, but not a scorching, sun. 



HAL. Whilst we have been conversing, the May- 

 flies, which were in such quantities, have become much 

 fewer; and I believe the reason is, that they have 

 been greatly diminished by the flocks of swallows, 

 which everywhere pursue them : I have seen a single 

 swallow take four, in less than a quarter of a minute, 

 that were descending to the water. 



POIET. I delight in this living landscape ! The 



