New-York tribune., 1880-02-17

tbere h m valid eyidepde OF the occurrence OF such
change The theory hes grown up, he contenos' 'iou
the changed conditions under which men IN nluoe ie'
as compared with children observe the effects OF mdei
weather child takes notice OF moderate "in'e''
They pass away like the ordinary days of Spring OF Au
tumn and forgotten. But bitter Winter or even
spell Of bitter weather makes impression on ne me
ory. Although IL lasts but for short tme' u ac's on
the childish imagination with much force as oocs
long and cold Winter on the minds OF eider perso'
Mr. Proctor refers record OF the weather
kept by the famous Gilbert White of selborne for PROOF
that Winters the latter part OF the elgheenn
century of much the same character that tney are
at present In 1768 year began with fortnight o
frost The severe cold was srcceeded Dy "e'
and rainy weather, which lasted to the end OF fepruy
The next Winter was marked throughout by al'erh"-
tons of snow and rain. In 1772-'73 TIE winter COM
pared well with the mdest in recent years. except ior
one fortnight of hard frost in February, 73 afer "nch
there was misty showery weather TO the end OF the first
week In March, and then came bright Spring days III
April. Tie severest weather was in the W'hter Vi
1854 and the following Winter though at no time
in 1884 was the cold more intense than has OFTEN
been experienced in England. Gilbert Whites account
was kept for twenty three years Q76sl792). but sug
gests no material difference between the Winter weather
common and the average Winter weather century
ago His description Of the frost OF January, l71o
which considered remarkable. serves to show WHAT
the ordinary Winter weather of the last century
The filed up many OF the narrow roads above INC
tops OF the hedges The poultry did not dare TO str OUT
of their roOstngpaces. The hares also lay sulehy III
their seats and would rot I'LL compelled by hun
ger The snow continued to increase till it stopped the
travel On roads, the coaches and wagons being no
longer able TO keep their regular stages The company
at Bath that wanted to attend the Queens Dlrth
day were dreadfully incommoded; the ladies offered
large rewards TO laborers If they would shovei
a path to London but the heaps of snow were too
l,!iyx bar op1l
it has ever been in Fi;thavenue New-YOrk sti1 the
cold was not SC severe it in December 1876 By
the middle Of the month the thermometer rose TO ~
degrees and had il not been for the deep snow the
Winter would not have been very greatly felt. Tue
weather, at the worst regarded as altogether e&-
ceptonal and the cold lasted only about three weeks
Mr. Proctor thinks it doubtful whether in actual
intensity even eGuaed that which experienced
In the south of England duung the Winter OF
1855 Comparing the weather OF a more recent date
with that OF century ago. the author finds numerous
examples of Winters Of equal severity with those by
which they been preceded The Winter OF 1S7O'7I
will lie remembered account Of the fatal iDtGenee
exercised by tie cold the public health during the
closing scenes of the FanccPrussia war In Paris the
Seine was blocked wish ice, and seemed likely to be-
come frozen over Al many OF the Ouposts near Paris
several of the wounded who had been lying for fifteen
hours upon the field were found DEATH OF the last
Winter u87S-70l the month OF January in England was
the coolest that has known for at least twentrone
and perhaps for forty years, while December was
also with ole exception the coolest for twenty-one
years. IL must be regarded as the codest Winter IN
England The last twenty years, and probably or
twice that time During the last two centuries II mas
been surpassed by few Winters for constant low temper
ature and lonC-cOntinued moderate FROST For the last
ninety years it has been matched only by four Winters
in those respects. There also articles on Oxford
and Cambridge Rowing" and Rowing Styles"
which will attract the lovers Of athletic sports. ana the
rapers on Artificial somnambulism," " Hereditary
Traits"" Dual C0nsciousness" and The Influence Of
the NJ nd on the Body" present several interesting sug
gestions II they do many valuable con-
clusIons.