The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1824-12-02
For tie Jy-:lo.iagtonian.
D.. f..

The renowned astronomer DR.. IIerschell, has
furnished the public with diagram in tabu-
lar form, with respect to the moons influence
upon the weather, upon which the celebrated
commentator Dir. Adam Clark has made some OBJ
servatons, us may be seen in late number Of the
"Gospe Herald" to which table he has annexed
few additional notes highly approving Of the
scheme, without submitting any reason why the
moons influences are as variable as the scheme
proposes. This part Of the phenomenon is still
left for the exercise Of another hand, and pro-
badly it may appear that this task belongs to my
share in the performance.
That the moons infucnce upon the dry land,
water, tides, Winds and weather. arc very great,
seeing that the conjunctons Of the moon and
sun are capable of producing amiable effects; for
whenever there is M eclipse Of the sun near
noon dav, there IS something ofa silent soemnity
which pcvates the elements; and more espe-
cially so, if the eclipse is nearly total' thus 1t
happened at the remarkable one OF lSoo-
the same of the one in 1911. Other similar i'll
stances might be atleluced; and this silent solcm
nty is not Ill the reigning pcculiaritics OF the
scene. There is also something in the air that
reaches the animal senses, and though pcrccpt-
BILE, vet cannot be accounted far in any other way
than by attrbuting cur feelings to the influence
of the moon, upon the body and blood, Think
all who are inclined to attend TO their change OF
feeling ON a sudden transition from light to dark
ness, will agree with me, that impressions are
discoyerable. Admitting the foregoing to be
facts. il necessarily follows that if the moon, by
its gravity, hath any effect whatever upon the
human system, how great. in proportion must ITS
influence and impressions be upon the whole
globe, and more especially upon the great deep;
because it renders these impressions more sensi-
Bile than on terra lrma, as the waters arc made
to flow almost in every direction from under the
body of the Moon, as have heretofore proved
in some of my written observations. 1t now Oh
" remains for me, in order, to establish the rea-
sons in support of Dr. Herschell's theory. He
states. that when the moon changes, fulls, or
quarters about noon, it is sign of wet weather;
but when those phases happen in the morning or
evening, dry wcather Ssc.-these rules he has
limited in part, to certain seasons OF the year;
and his table is only fitted for the meridian of his
native land--so that it may not be exactly suited
to our meridian.
In order therefore, that We, the people of
Wilmington, in the state of Delaware, may be
furnished with rules fitted to our latitude and
longitude. those following are submitted.
fit be new or full moon, or II 1t enters INTO
its first or last quarter the hours of 9, 10, OF H.
before noon, the moon being i'll her node at the
time, is a sure omen fwet weather; particularly
at the new and full. The reason IS obvious, be-
cause at those particular times, the sun, moon,
and earth, are nearly in range one with the O.
thers. This is not the case at either OF the quar-.
tiers; fcr then the sun and moon are SIX hours