Janiveerfreeze the Pot by the FireIf the Grass grow inJaniveerIt grows the worse for't all the Year.TheWelchmanhad rather see his Dam on the BierThan to see a fairFebrueer.MarchWind andMaySunMake Clothes white and Maids Dun.WhenAprilblows his HornIt's good both for Hay and Corn.AnAprilFloodCarries away the Frog and her Brood.A coldMayand a windyMakes a full Barn and a Findy.AMayFlood never did good.A Swarm of Bees inMayIs worth a Load of Hay.But a Swarm inJulyIs not worth a Fly,&c.
Janiveerfreeze the Pot by the Fire
Janiveerfreeze the Pot by the Fire
If the Grass grow inJaniveerIt grows the worse for't all the Year.TheWelchmanhad rather see his Dam on the BierThan to see a fairFebrueer.MarchWind andMaySunMake Clothes white and Maids Dun.WhenAprilblows his HornIt's good both for Hay and Corn.AnAprilFloodCarries away the Frog and her Brood.A coldMayand a windyMakes a full Barn and a Findy.AMayFlood never did good.A Swarm of Bees inMayIs worth a Load of Hay.But a Swarm inJulyIs not worth a Fly,&c.
If the Grass grow inJaniveer
It grows the worse for't all the Year.
TheWelchmanhad rather see his Dam on the Bier
Than to see a fairFebrueer.
MarchWind andMaySun
Make Clothes white and Maids Dun.
WhenAprilblows his Horn
It's good both for Hay and Corn.
AnAprilFlood
Carries away the Frog and her Brood.
A coldMayand a windy
Makes a full Barn and a Findy.
AMayFlood never did good.
A Swarm of Bees inMay
Is worth a Load of Hay.
But a Swarm inJuly
Is not worth a Fly,&c.
XXV.
WINTER.If the latter End ofOctoberand Beginning ofNovemberbe for the most Part warm and rainy, thenJanuaryandFebruary are like to be frosty and cold,except after a very dry Summer.
IT is very evident, supposing this Observation to be true, as I am pretty confident it is, that the Reason of it is to be sought in that Balance of the Weather which Providence has established. There is not only a Time to sow, and a Time to reap, but there is a Time also for dry and a Time for wet Weather, and if these do not happen at proper Seasons, they will certainly happen at other Seasons; for not only the Wisdom of Philosophers hath discerned, but their Experiments and Observations have put it out of doubt, that there is a certain Rule or Proportion observed between wet Weather and dry in every Country, so that it is nearly the same in every annual Revolution, neither is wet and dry Weather only, but hot and cold, open and frost, that are thus regulated, from whence we see, that when the Scripture represents to us God's settling Things by Weight and Measure, it speaks not only elegantly, but exactly. For we do not mean by Providence any extraordinary or supernatural Interposition of almighty Power, but the constant and settled Order established by the Will of that almighty Being which we commonly call Nature.
THERE is nothing easier than for vulgar Understandings to mistake the Meaning of Words, and by a Superstition natural to weak Minds convert, what they imperfectly understand into Notions that perplex and confound them. Hence it proceeds that in common Conversation one hears People speak of Nature as of a Being, or a Kind of subordinate Deity, whereas in Reality the true Meaning of Nature is, that Order or Law which God has established in the Universe, and the Knowledge of Nature is no more than the Light we acquire by Study into the Connexion of those Laws. In this Sense Experience is a Kind of Revelation, that is to say, it is a Sort of Knowledge that comes to us from without, and is infallible in itself, we may indeed go on wrong and deceive ourselves in the Arguments we raise from it, but the Knowledge grounded upon Experiments never varies.
THIS is sufficient to shew us how much wiser a Thing it is to trust this Sort of experimental Knowledge, then to put any Faith in that Kind of idle Science which amused our Forefathers, and enabled Almanac Makers to delude and mislead them. It is true we use the Luminaries as well as they, but then we use them in a rational Manner, and do not pretend to impose this or that Sign upon other People, but barely set down our own Observations, which are to be examined and verified by the Experience of those to whom they are submitted. The Astrologer on the other Hand insists on what are not in Nature; the twelve Houses are a mere Invention, and so are all the Properties ascribed to the celestial Signs, and to the Planets; mere Dreams and Fictions devised by the Cunning to cheat and impose upon the Ignorant, and which had been long ago exploded if People had brought them to the only Test of which they are capable, I mean that of Experience; with which they never did, never will, and indeed never can agree: whereas the Rules given by our Shepherd, are such as we have shewn, suit perfectly well with Remarks of other studious Persons in all Ages.
XXVI.
IfOctoberandNovemberbe Snow and Frost, thenJanuaryandFebruaryare like to beopenand mild.
AS this Observation stands on the same Foundation with the last, we need not dwell upon it particularly, and therefore I shall proceed with my former Reflections. The only Way to be acquainted with Nature, is to study Nature. All Systems of human Invention that are not built upon Experiments, are sooner or later found to be false, because, to say the Truth, they are nothing better than ingenious Contrivances invented by the Wit of Man, to conceal his Ignorance. In order to account for what we behold, we must first of all take Pains to be well acquainted with the Fact, and not suffer ourselves to be led away by Opinion. In order to explain what I mean, I shall give an Instance. All the World knows that not only the vulgar, but the learned, were for many Ages in a constant Error about Corruption, and really believed that the Heat of the Sun, and even animal Heat produced Worms, Maggots, and other living Creatures. Many grave Writers carried the Thing farther, and told us of Rats, Mice, and other Creatures produced out of the Slime of the RiverNile, by the Heat of the Sun inEgypt, which might very well pass for Truth among those who fancied they saw every Day something of the like Nature: I mean in the Corruption of Flesh and other Things, in which we behold Thousands of living Creatures.
ANItalianPhilosopher destroyed this whole Doctrine at once, by a simple and easy Experiment. He exposed a Piece of raw Flesh in a glass Vessel well covered with Gauze to the Air and Sun, and found that it putrefied without producing any living Creatures. This shews how careful we ought to be with Respect to Facts; for till this Experiment was made, no Body doubted that Vermin were bred by, as well as in putrefied Bodies; whereas we are now satisfied that the Heat of the Sun can no more produce a Worm or a Maggot, than a Horse or an Elephant. By the same Examination we might open the Way to Knowledge, by driving out a Multitude of other Errors. But the Humour of taking Things for granted without inquiring into them, and then endeavouring to account for them by dint of Reasoning, amuses us with a false shew of Wisdom, and encourages us to persist obstinately in the Maintenance of weak and foolish Notions.
TO apply this to the Subject of which we are treating. It is certainly a curious and a useful Thing to understand the Nature of the Weather, and to know how the Changes that happen in it come to pass. The Business is to find out the true Way of coming at this kind of Knowledge, and upon the Principles that I have advanced, it is very evident that the, only certain Way of coming at it is by Observation. This is a slow but a sure Method of arriving at Truth, and the Specimen here given us, ofoneMan's Observations, is enough to convince us that a little Diligence and Application would soon go a great Way towards forming a Body of such Observations as might enable us to understand the Weather thoroughly, and to predict its Changes and Alterations with a great Degree of Certainty. If we will not take this Pains, we must content ourselves with what hath been already discovered, or if our Conditions of Life exclude us from the Opportunities of making such Observations, it is certainly a right Thing to help ourselves by inquiring into, and reasoning upon such Observations as other People have made and to facilitate this as far as possible, I have taken the Pains to write this Commentary upon our Shepherd's Rules; which I hope will render them more useful, or at least secure them that Regard which they deserve.
THERE remains therefore nothing more for me to do in order to recommend these Observations, but to say somewhat with Respect to the Utility of the Alterations of the Weather in general, and in particular; in order to satisfy the Reader that there is nothing of Chance or Accident in such Alterations, but that they are governed in every Respect by the same unerring Wisdom, that at first framed and constantly preserves the Universe. All Weathers are at sometimes reasonable, which shews that they are good in themselves, and only accidentally evil. We ought not to measure Things of a general Nature, by particular Rules. If by the Direction of Providence the Succession of Seasons be such, as that they turn to the good of Mankind in the whole; it is no Objection to, or Diminution of Providence that this Succession of Seasons should at different Times be injurious to certain Countries, because this may likewise be accounted for.
AS to Particulars we will begin with the Air, which is composed of Exhalations of all earthly Bodies, as well solid as fluid, as also of Fire, whether of the Sun or the Stars, or of earthly Bodies burnt, or of Fire breaking out from the Entrails of the Earth, and ascending, and though it be thus compounded, and hath swimming in it Multitudes of other Things, yet we find that it is perfectly wholesome, is the Spring of Motion, and of Life to Men, and all other Animals; so that though we cannot account for, and perhaps have not a Power of comprehending how such a mixed Body can be rendered salutary: yet since it is certain, that so it is, we have no Right to complain either of the evil Consequences that sometimes attend the Exhalations with which it is filled, or the Accidents that flow from the frequent Alterations that happen therein, because these have a visible Tendency to the general good, and are apparently necessary to the Preservation of the Universe, so that before we can have any Title to find fault, we must first shew that we are capable of understanding them in their full Extent, and asthisis impossible, it followsthatmust be unreasonable.
BUT this appears still the more clearly, when it is considered, that all such Alterations may be shewn even from the Light of Reason to be generally useful, notwithstanding they sometimes appear troublesome and noxious. For Instance, such quick Streams of Air in Motion as we call Winds, though they sometimes swell into Storms and Tempests, yet are they of great Benefit to Mankind, by purging the Air, and many other Conveniences. It is a Proverb atVienna, that ifAustriabe not windy it is sickly; and this Saying is no less true in other Countries, for by consulting the History of the last great Plague that raged here in 1666, it will be found that there was in a Manner a dead Calm during the Time of the Sickness, and it is known inEgypt, where they have Plagues annually, that the Change of the Wind delivers them from that Evil. Add to this the great Use of Winds in Navigation, and reflect on the Benefits that accrue there from, and we shall see no Cause whatever to doubt that this Motion of the Air is a very wise Contrivance.
THE Condensation of Vapours, which is the Cause of Rain, is another great Benefit to the World, in as much as this is very probably supposed to be the Source of Fountains, Rivers, Lakes, and other Magazines of fresh Water, without which the Earth would be uninhabitable, and to which in a very great Measure its Fertility is owing. We ought likewise to remember that though this be in itself so clear, and at the same Time so certain, yet there are Countries in the World where it very seldom rains, as inEgypt, and others where it hardly ever rains, as inPeru; so that we see there is no raising general Doctrines upon this Subject, which ought to make us the more tender in disputing the Will of Providence, or repining when it happens to cross our own.
THE Uses of Snow are as great though less apparent, of which I shall mention but three. The first is its preserving Herbs and Grass in the Winter against the Severity of Frost; secondly, its supplying Water to Brooks and Rivers; and lastly, its furnishing the Earth with vast Quantities of Nitre, and thereby conducing greatly to its Fertility, and perhaps the same thing may be said of Frost, hard Winters being often succeeded by luxuriant Summers, and thus we find that what in Appearance causes Scarcity, may in Reality produce Plenty.
LASTLY, even Thunder, however terrible in its Appearance, and sometimes fatal in its Effects, is nevertheless very useful and beneficial upon the whole, for this likewise purifies the Air from sulphureous and oily Exhalations, and the Rains that fall with it fertilize the Earth exceedingly. It also moderates the Heat as Experience teaches us, for as it is always gloomy and sultry before Thunder, so it is afterwards generally cool and pleasant. These Remarks, though very short, may give the Reader an Opportunity of extending his Observations throughout all the Variations of Weather, and enable him to discern how useful and instructive a thing the Study of its Alterations may be, and how probable it is, that by proper Care and Attention, we may arrive at a much more useful, as well as a much more certain Knowledge in regard to the Weather, than hitherto has been attained.
FINIS.
Footnotes
a
Sol quoque & exoriens, & cum se condit in undas,Signadabit:Solemcertissima signa sequuntur,Et quæ Mane refert, & quæ surgentibusAstris,Ille ubi nascentemmaculisvariaverit OrtumConcavus in Nubem, medioque refugerit Orbe;Suspecti tibi sintImbres. Namque urget ab altoArboribusque satisque Notus Pecorique sinister.Virgil. Georgic. lib. i. v. 438.
Sol quoque & exoriens, & cum se condit in undas,Signadabit:Solemcertissima signa sequuntur,Et quæ Mane refert, & quæ surgentibusAstris,Ille ubi nascentemmaculisvariaverit OrtumConcavus in Nubem, medioque refugerit Orbe;Suspecti tibi sintImbres. Namque urget ab altoArboribusque satisque Notus Pecorique sinister.Virgil. Georgic. lib. i. v. 438.
Sol quoque & exoriens, & cum se condit in undas,Signadabit:Solemcertissima signa sequuntur,Et quæ Mane refert, & quæ surgentibusAstris,Ille ubi nascentemmaculisvariaverit OrtumConcavus in Nubem, medioque refugerit Orbe;Suspecti tibi sintImbres. Namque urget ab altoArboribusque satisque Notus Pecorique sinister.
Sol quoque & exoriens, & cum se condit in undas,
Signadabit:Solemcertissima signa sequuntur,
Et quæ Mane refert, & quæ surgentibusAstris,
Ille ubi nascentemmaculisvariaverit Ortum
Concavus in Nubem, medioque refugerit Orbe;
Suspecti tibi sintImbres. Namque urget ab alto
Arboribusque satisque Notus Pecorique sinister.
Virgil. Georgic. lib. i. v. 438.
Virgil. Georgic. lib. i. v. 438.
bNat. Hist. lib. xviii. cap. 35.
cUbi supra.