Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1822-09-21
DOG-sTAR AND DOG.DAys.


DOG-STAR AND DOG-DAYS.
The ancient Egyptians, in their obser
vations on the stars, had noticed that
when certain star of considerable mag
nitude first appeared above the horizon
in the moning, just before dawn, the
overlooking of the Nile imm ediately fol-
lowed. Betorewarned by this precur-
sor, they retired to the highlands to es-
cape The inundation, carrying with them
things necessary for their retreat. AS
this star performed for them the service
o! the house-dog, by warning them Of
approaching danger, they called it the
dog star, and supposing that this star was
the cause the extraordinary heat, which
usually falls out in that season they gave
the name of dog days TO 6 or weeks of
the hottest part of The summer. They
ascribed an extraordinary influence to
this star, paid to it divine honors, and
from its color formed prognostics, what
the season would be. The Greeks and
Romans also held the opinion that the
dog-star was the cause of the sui,ry heat,
usually felt about this time.
| Its influence was esteemed SO great
10y the Romans, that they sacrificed a
brown dog every year TO appease its
rage.
All these notions of the ancients, and
all similar opinions that prevail at the
present time, on this subject, are mere
idle tancies.-The dog-s,ar has 10 more
influence IN producing heat or sultriness,
than any other star that decks the sky,
and the days usually denominated dog
days, might with as much propriety be
said to oegin on the 10Th or 18th July
as on the 25th. The atmosphere suffers
no greater change on the Oath and 25th
OF July, nor on the 5lh and 9th Of Sep
TENDER, than it does on other days pre-
ceding, and subsequent to those days.
II the ;erm dog days has any appropriate
Specification, IL is because the word is
intended to denote 40 or SO days of the
most hot and su'try part of the year, but
as these days vary almost every year in
their commencement and termination,
any notice in the Almanac, or esw here,
pretending 10 point out the time when
dog days begin and end, is futile, and O.
no more Importance than the predictions
concerning the weather.
Doss-days in England have fluctuated
very much as appear from their calen-
dar. Bede refers to calendar tina,
placed the beginning of dog-days on the
! 4th of July. In Queen Elizabeth S
time, they are said TO commence on the
9Th of July and end on the 9th OF Sep
ltember. From the restoration OF Charles
| III to the correction ofthe British Calen-
dar, the beginning was placed on the 10th
OF July, and the end on the 23th OF Au-
gust. After the correction oil the calen-
dar, the beginning was placed onthe 3oth
of July, and the end on the 9TH OF Sep
tember. OF laie the British Almanacs
have placed the beginning on the Sd OF
July, and end on the 18th of August.
When the ancicnts first observed The
dog star, it used TO make its appearance
in the morning OF the first Of July, but
by the procession of the equinoxes, it
now rises heiacally, or is first discovered
as late as the l1th OF August, and in
process OF time it will be the harbinger
not of heat, but of frost and snow.-Cok-
iected from the Cyciohed,a aud etssphere.
The paucity Of poetical themes (or of
poeucal talent, if you please) is appa-
rent from the objects to which the
rhymers address their illusions. A late
Philapelphia paper contains among its
original poetry an address "To the
Moon, ITO the New Moon," " To a
Mousse" g To Jacl:daw," 4" TO Kit
,en," s. Love-" We cannot, Of course,
object to the last; but we grieve to see
it in such company. CatskiH Rec.
HoRsE SHOES, says London paper,
should NOT be pu, on the foot, until the
iron is cold. II the shoes are hot or even
warm, they will produce tenderness in
The feet.