] 7 2 BEST'S A IIT o F 



An erert moon is generally threatmng and un- 

 favourable, but particularly denotes wind ; 

 though it' she appear with short and blunted 

 horns, rain is rather expected. 



Most or' the foregoing rules are taken from 

 the following beautiful passage of Virgil : 



Observe the daily circle of the sun, 



Arid the short year of each revolving moon : 



By them thou shalt foresee the following day ; 



Nor bhalt a starry night thy hopes betray. 



Vv'hen first the moon appears, ii' then she shrouds 



Her silver crescent, tipp'd with sable clouds: 



Conclude she bodes a tempest on the main, 



And brews for fields impetuous floods of rain. 



Or if her face with fiery flushings glow, 



Expect the rattling winds aloft to blow. 



Eut four nights old (for that's the surest sign) 



With sharpened horns, if glorious then she shine, 



Next day, not only that, but all the moon, 



Till her revolving race Toe wholly run, 



Are void of tempests both by sea and land. 



*###*# 



Above the rest, the sun, who never lies, 

 Foretels the change of weather in the skies; 

 For if he rise unwilling to his race, 

 Clouds on his brow, and spots upon his face; 

 Or if thro' mists he shoots his sullen beams, 

 Frugal of light, in loose and straggling streams; 



Suspect a drizzling day with southern rain. 



****** 



Or if Aurora, with half-open'd eyes, 

 And a pale sickly cheek, salute the skies ; 

 How shall the vine, her tender leaves defend 



Tfer teeming clusters when the storms descend; 



****** 



But more than all the setting sun survey, 



When down the steep of heav'n he drives the day : 



For oft we find him finishing his race, 



With various colours erring on his face; 



In fiery red his glowing globe descends, 



High winds and furious tempests he portends ; 



