10 



Dr. Holyoke's Estimate of the Excess of Ilcat and Cold, 



This is a remarkable fac\ of which, however, I imagine 

 there is suificient proof. For severe frosts are mentioned by 

 ancient' aij^thors, as common events, in particnlar places, 

 where nothing of the kind occnrs now; or, if, at some dis- 

 tant intervals they do still sometimes happen, they are con- 

 stantly noted as very extraordinary. 



David, king of Israel, in one of his psalms'*-" 



says, " lie 



giveth snow like wool, he scattereth the hoar frost like ashes. 



4 



He casteth forth his ice like morses; who can stand before 

 his cold ? " And about the time of our Saviour's crucifixion 

 (about the beginning of April) St. John tells usf, that 

 "the servants and officers had made a fire of coals (for it 

 was cold) and they warmed themselves." 



And Juvenal makes mention of the freezino; of the river 

 Tiber, as a common event in his time.J And Ovid tallvs of 

 frozen wine in countries, where I suppose, very 

 are now very unusual 



If any doubt respecting this point should still remain, I 

 believe it will be much lessened by an attention to what Li- 

 vy the Eoman historian relates, in his account of the second 



frosts 



Punick w^ar. 



There we find, that when the Eomans, un- 



der the command of Scipio, besieged a town in Sp 



near 



the river Ebro, in a latitude 



a little mor 



our's, he says, «A 



thward than 



ohsessor alia idla res quam inirma omnig- 



naniihiis 



* Psalm cxlvil. v. 16, 17. It is not material whetlicr David ^cre the author of this 



psalm, or not. 



t John, ch. xvili. v. 18. 



X Hybcrnum fracta glacle desceudit in amncm. &c. Sat. tII 501 



fonnam 



Vina: nee Lausta men, sed data frustra bibunt. 



Ele'3[. X. 



K 



