INTRODUCTrON. 47 



pear ftationary, and the fun appears faintly through 

 the clouds, it is Hkely there will be a change of wea- 

 ther. A circle round the fun or moon indicates 

 a change of weather. I have frequently obferved 

 the earth and grafs alniofl entirely covered with 

 threads like thofe of fpiders ; after which, dry wea- 

 ther has conftantlv for a time fucceeded. Thefe 

 threads cannot be vifibly feen but when the fun fliines, 

 nor unlefs a perfon (land with his face towards 

 the fun, I am now writing on the 21 ft day of Oclo- 

 ber, and there has been no rain here * fmce the 2d, 

 and on every funfhiny day fmce that time I have ob- 

 ferved the earth and grafs covered with thefe threads. 

 One day the beginning of laft week I was about fow- 

 ing a field with wheat, which field had been under 

 fallow the preceding furamer ; and I obferved the 

 furface of the land, both before and behind the 

 harrows, covered with thefe threads, fufpended 

 between the clods, waving and fparkling in the rays 

 of the fun. How thefe threads came to be extended 

 from clod to clod in fo fliort a time after the ground 

 was moved by the harrows, is wdiat I cannot rightly 

 comprehend, therefore niuft leave it for the decifion 

 of philofophers. 



* At Addifcombe Place. 



