PERIODICAL RAIN. 203 



PERIODICAL RAIN. 



July 26th. Content. — The regularity of the daily 

 rain during the season is a remarkable circumstance. 

 The mornings are almost invariably fine, or if there 

 be a few clouds at sunrise, they are soon dissipated, 

 and the sun burns with unmitigated rigour through 

 the forenoon. About midday fleecy clouds begin to 

 appear in the north ; — these increase and coalesce, 

 and begin to blacken : — thunder mutters, and waxes 

 louder : — by and by one or two terrific claps are 

 heard, and we look out, but there is a good deal of 

 blue sky yet. Soon, however, the mountain top 

 becomes enwrapped in thick misty cloud, which rolls 

 rapidly down ; more thunder ; vivid flashes of light- 

 ning gleam through the daylight. Now we hear the 

 rain clattering upon the leaves of the forest above us, 

 like shot ; but not a drop falls on us yet. Now it 

 comes, however, not so much in drops, as in a sheet 

 of water; and in an instant the gullies and channels 

 of the rocky hill-side are filled with discoloured and 

 frothing rivulets. * We trace the progress of the 



* The fine description of Virgil will hardly fail to recur to the 

 classic reader : — 



" Sspe etiam immensum coelo venit agmen aquarum, 

 Et foedam glomerant tempestatem imbribus atris 

 ColIectEB ex alto nubes ; ruit arduus ather, 

 Et pluvia ingenti sata lata boumque labores 

 Diluit ; implentur fossse, et cava flumina crescunt 

 Cum sonitu ; fervetque fretis spirantibus aequor. 

 Ipse Pater, media nimborum in nocte, corusca 

 Fulmina molitur dextra; quo maxima motu 

 Terra tremlt ; fugere fera^ ; et mortalia corda 

 Per gentes humilis stravit pavor." 



Georg. i. 322. 

 K 6 



