47 



DO THE CHANGES OF THE MOON AFFECT THE 



BAESTFALL ? 



By E. C. Howell, Hon. Membeb Boyal Statistical 



Society. 



The idea that the changes of the moon do affect the 

 rainfall has widely prevailed from the earliest ages. Thus 

 the Boman poet Virgil : — 



' ' And that by sure prognostics we may know 

 Both heat and rain and cold-compelling winds, 

 The Sire himself has fixed the monthly course 

 Of lunar indications ; by what sign 

 To read the sinking south ; what, oft observed, 

 Should teach the farmer to retain his herds 

 Within the sheltered precincts of the stall." 



Georg I., 351 seqq., Dear's trans. 



" Nor less are showerless suns and open sky 

 Serene by certain signs fore-known ; for then 

 Nor dimly seem the blunted stars to shine, 

 Nor rises Luna to her brother's beams 

 Indebted : then nor through the vault of heaven 

 Sail fleecy clouds ; nor to the genial beam 

 Do Thetis' halcyons spread their azure wings. 

 # * * * 



When the moon, 

 Collecting first her renovated fires, 

 A gloomy mist within her horns includes, — 

 Then on the husbandman and on the deep 

 Impends a heavy rain ; but, if she rise 

 Her face suffused with virgin blushes, wind 

 Awaits ; the wind on golden Phcebe's cheek 

 Ever excites a blush ; but should she take 

 At her fourth rising (mark the surest sign) 

 Her course through heaven's authorial way with clear 

 Unclouded aspect, nor with horns obtuse, 

 Then that whole day and those from thence derived, 

 E'en to the finished month, shall roll exempt 

 From wind or rain; and, on the shore secure, 

 The storm-scaped mariner shall pay his vows 

 To Glaucus, Panope, and Ino's son." 



lb., 393 seqq. 



Ages before, the Babylonian Government astronomers in 

 their reports, which they furnished daily, have such entries as 

 these respecting the supposed influence of the heavenly bodies 

 on the weather : — 



" The star of the upper sphere aforesaid causes fog and 

 rain." 



"The star Lulu portends extended mists." 



" The star of the Wolf portends tempest." 



" The stars at sunrise are for windy rain and flood. 



