By the Rev. A. C. Smith. 



51 



it is held quite as much iu the South of Europe ; for the Italians 

 have a proverb, "January commits the faults, and May bears the 

 blame/' and it is a common saying even in Spain, "A year of snow, 

 a year of plenty." 1 



For the same reasons an early winter was deprecated, as likely to 

 lead to too early a spring, according to the adage : — 



M If there's ice in November that will bear a duck 

 There'll be nothing after but sludge and muck." 



Moreover that such premature mildness of the seasons does not 

 in reality advance vegetation, everybody who possesses a garden 

 knows to his cost, and here again we have several famous Wiltshire 

 proverbs, relating to this fact, and containing very weighty truths. 



The one runs thus : — 



"Be it weal or be it woe 



Beans blow before May doth go." 



Another says : — 



" Come it early, or come it late, 

 In May comes the corn-quake." 



1 " Annee de neige 

 Annee de bien." 



" Annee neigeuse, 

 Annee fructueuse." 



" Schnee Jahr 

 Reich Jahr." 



" Anno di neve, 

 Anno di bene." 



And so the Germans say : — 



" Spater winter, spates Friihjahr." 



And the Spaniards, that after a rainy winter follows a fruitful spring : — 



" Al invierno lluvioso 

 Verano abundoso." 



And the French : — 



u Hiver doux, 

 Printemps sec ; 

 Hiver rude, 

 Printemps pluvieux." 



H 2 



