Prognostics of the Weather. 159 



spotless, her horns unblunted, and neither flat nor quite 

 erect, but betwixt both, it promises fair weather for the 

 greatest part of the month. 



" An erect moon is generally threatening and unfavour- 

 able, but particularly denotes wind ; though if she appear 

 with short and blunted horns, rain is rather expected." 



Most of the foregoing rules are taken from the following 

 beautiful passage of Virgil : 



" Observe the daily circle of the sun, 

 And the short year of each revolving moon : 

 By them thou shalt foresee the following day ; 

 Nor shall a starry night thy hopes betray. 

 When first the moon appears, if 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. 

 But 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 be 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 through mists he shoots his sullen beams ; 

 Frugal of light, in loose and straggling streams ; 

 Suspect a dazzling 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 

 Her teeming clusters, when the storms descend. 



But more than all the setting sun survey, 



When down the steep of heaven 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 ; 



