assured him that
when it came to the _Zenith_, the Hurricane would infallibly begin, as
indeed it did.

XXI.

_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 most 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,