Sudden Rains Never Last Long:


But when the Air grows thick by Degrees, and the

Sun, Moon, and Stars shine dimmer and dimmer, then

it is like to rain six Hours usually.



RAIN is, properly speaking, a Multitude of small watery Drops, falling

from the upper Air at different Seasons. When the upper Regions become

cold of a sudden, the watery Clouds are condensed and fall in hasty

Showers. It is observed that mountainous Countries have mos
Rain, and

the Reason seems to be the Winds driving the Clouds against the Rocks

and Hills, and thereby compressing them in such a Manner, that they are

immediately dissolved, and fall as it were at once. This is the Reason

that in Lancashire there falls twice as much Rain as in Essex, and

it is probably from the same Cause, that in the Ocean, over-against the

mountainous Coast of Guinea, showers sometimes fall as it were by

Pailfuls.



THIS Observation of our Shepherd is very just and reasonable, and I

dare say will hardly ever fail such as observe it. The Dimness of the

Stars and other heavenly Bodies, is one of the surest Signs of very

rainy Weather. It is likewise to be observed that when the Stars look

bigger than usual, and are pale and dull and without Rays, this

undoubtedly indicates that the Clouds are condensing into Rain, which

will very soon fall; and it has been observed that when the Air grows

thick by Degrees, and the Light of the Sun lessens so as not to be

discerned at all, and again when the Moon or Stars have the same

Appearances, a continued Rain for at least six Hours is sure to follow.



TO be the better informed in such Cases, it is best to have Recourse to

a variety of Signs, for it is not only the Clouds and Sky, or the Sun,

Moon, and Stars, that gives us previous Notice of rainy Weather, but

almost every Thing in the Creation, and Vegetables particularly. As for

Instance, the Pimpernel, which is a very common flower, shuts itself up

extremely close against rainy Weather. In like manner the Trefoil

swells in the Stalk against Rain, so that it stands up very stiff, but

the Leaves droop and hang down. Even the most solid Bodies are affected

by this Change of the Atmosphere, for Stones seem to sweat, and Wood

swells, the Air driving the moist Particles with which it is filled

into the Pores of dry Wood especially, makes it swell prodigiously, and

this is the Reason the Doors and Windows are hard to shut in rainy

Weather.



THIS is so true, that there has been a Method found of dividing

Mill-stones by the mere Force of the Air, which is done in this Manner.

They divide a Block of this kind of Stone as big as a large rolling

Stone, into as many Parts as they design to make Millstones, and in the

Circles where this Block is to be divided, they pierce several Holes,

which they fill with allow Wood dried in an Oven, and expose the Stone

to the Air, in moist Weather; when the Wood swells to such a Degree as

to split the Stone as effectually, as if it was by iron Wedges driven

by Sledge-Hammers. This curious and extraordinary Method of dividing

Mill-stones is related by the famous Mr. Ozanam of his own Knowledge.



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