6 The ^tural Hift^ry 
ftuck faft in the mud like a poft, with his feet downward, and 
for the prefent fo difturbed in his fenfes, that he neither knew 
how he came out of the boat, nor could remember either Thun- 
der or Lightning that did effeft it. Others, in another boat a- 
bout ten or twenty yards diftance from the former, felta difturb- 
ancearid fl:]aking in their boat, and one of them had his chair 
ftruck from under him, without hurt* But of this no more, a 
full relation of the accident being already given by the Reverend 
and Learned \yJohn Wallis Savilian ProfeiTor of Geometry in 
the L[niverfity of Oxford^ and publiCli'd in our Englifli Philofo- 
phical Tranfadlions P. 
12. What hapned before or after thofe Tempefts, I was not 
fo curious in thofe days to obferve,but it might indeed be widi'd, 
as the learned and obferving D'^ ^^^j/^advifes"^, thatfome old Al- 
manacks were written inftead of new ; that inftead of the con- 
jectures of the weather to come, fome ingenious and fit Perfons 
would give a faithful account from divers parts of the world, not 
only of the Storms, with the antecedents and confequents of 
them, but of the whole weather of the years paft, on every day 
of the month ; as it was induftrioufly begun above 300 years 
ago, by William Merle Fellow of Merton College, who obfcrved. 
the weather at Oxford for every day of the month for 7 years 
together ; viz^ from January Anno Dom, 1337, to January Anno 
Dom. 1344. the MS copy of which Obfervations yet remain in 
the Bodleyan Library" ; For from hence in time we might exa- 
mine upon fome grounds, as the learned D*" Bcale well remarks, 
how farthe pofitions of Planets, or other fymptoms or conco- 
mitants, are indicative of weathers, and probably be forewarn'd 
of Dearths,Famines, Epidemical Difeafes,(5>'i:. and by their caufes 
be inftrufted for remedies, or prevention. Certainly from fuch 
Calendars we might learn more in few years, then by Obferva- 
tions at random all the days of our lives ; and if they might be 
had from foreign and remote parts we fliould then be in fome 
hopes of true Invefligations of heats and colds, and of the 
breadth and bounds of coafting Rains and Winds. 
13. Next the Tragedies (it being as agreeable to my Method, 
as feafonable to the Difcoiirfe) it will not be amifs to prefent the 
P Philofojih.TravJaB.Numh. 13. s Thilofoph. Tra?!faB.Nti',n ^o. r MS.Digh, fel. i-j6- * Such oh- 
jervations of the 'vjeather every day of the month through the whole jear 16-; I, ivere'rnack bj Erafmus Bar- 
£!ioIiiiej^7;^/<zrt';'?v»^e^/intcr AdaMedica Tho. Bartholini Obf. J30. 
Reader 
