336 LUNAK INFLUENCES. 



Provei'bs are the children of experience, the philosopliy of the 

 people. Various aphorisms have been handed down from, time 

 immemorial from father to son respecting the various phenomena 

 around us, -which, though couched in homely language, may contain 

 the germ of some important truth. Surely it is not unreasonable 

 to imagine that the life-long experience of men whose very lives and 

 dearest interests are closely bound up with the watchful observance 

 of phenomena daily and hourly forced upon their notice, must be 

 entitled to some consideration. The shepherd on the hill, the hunter 

 in the forest, the farmer in the field, the mariner on the deep, are 

 from necessity practical philosophers ; rude, perhaps, in speech, but 

 not in knowledge. 



The only sound and legitimate method of investigating the truth 

 is, not by subtile theories and speculations, but by subjecting our 

 theories to the test of experience, and building upon the solid 

 foundation of accurate and long-continued observation. 



The object of this paper is to give my experience, based on forty- 

 one years of careful observation respecting the popular idea above 

 alluded to, viz.: of the influence (if any) of a Saturday moon upon 

 the weather. I have considered the circumstances of the weather 

 for twenty days following the Saturday new and full moons, for their 

 respective years from 1831 to 1871, both inclusive. The days 

 marked (f) are intended to denote days without any gale, storm, or 

 fall of rain sufficient to affect the rain guage. Snow and rain 

 exceeding this amount, and all other phenomena of weather are 

 classed under the heading (s). There is a difficulty in this classifi- 

 cation, as some days are styled (s) which scarcely can be considered 

 more than variable ; and thus more is carried to the moon's credit 

 than she is really entitled to, which would suit the ideas of those 

 who consider her responsible for every influence, from the perturba- 

 tion of a planet to the derangement of a kettle of soap. 



From the inspection of the annexed Table, we derive the following 

 conclusions : 



No. of Saturday full moons 71 



" " new " "TS 



No. of fine days after full moon 9*72 



No. of stormy " " 433 



No. of fine days after new moon 1007 



No. of stormy " " 461 



