The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-03-17
Asst THEOLOGICAL WISDOM.
Old Time signs of the Changes of the
Weather.

Asst BIOLOGICAL WISDOM,
Old Time signs of the Changes Of the
Weather.
A popular idea is that the weather
changes with the moons quarters, al
though, of course, there is no truth in
this piece of astrology. That educated
people, as DIR. Taylor has truly pointed
out, to whom exact weather records are
accessible, should still find satisfaction in
this fanciful lunar rule, is an interesting
case of intellectual survival. Yet, how
ever the fact remains, and in everyday
life one of the most frequent remarks
appertaining to wet weather is that it
will no doubt change with the moon.
In many parts of the country great
attention is paid to the day of the week
on which the change of the moon occurs.
Thus, if the moon changes on Sunday,
we are told "there will be flood be-
fore the month is out" whereas a new
moon on Monday is nearly everywhere
welcomed as being certain omen not
only for fair weather but good luck. A
change, however, on Saturday seems
universally regarded as bad sign, and
numerous proverbs to this effect are
found scattered here and there, in most
parts of England as we'll as Scotland.
Some of the most prevalent are the fol-
lowing
A Saturdays change and Sundays full
Once in seven years is once to soon.
In Norfolk the peasantry say;
Saturday new and Sunday full
Never was good and never Wull,
The same notion exists on the conti-
nent; Wednesday in Italy, and Friday
in the south of France being regarded
as unfavorable days for change of
moon. Again, various omens are made
from the aspect of the moon. At Whitby,
for instance, when the moon is sur
rounded by halo of watery clouds, the
seamen say there will be a change of
weather, for the moon-dogs" are
about. This halo is called in Scotland
" burgh," the early Teutonic word for
circle, as in the following rhyme:
About the moon there is a burgh,
The weather will be cauld and rough.
A pale moon, too, is equally unfavor-
able; piece of weather lore to which
Shakespeare alludes in Midsummer
Nights dream" TACT ii. seq
Therefore the moon, the governess of floods
Pale in her anger, washes all the air,
That rheumatic Diseases do abound.
When the moons horns appear to
point upward it is said to look like q
boat, and in many parts there is an idea
that when it is thus situated there will
be no rama superstition which George
Eliot describes in "Adam Bede: :" at
'ud ha' been better luck if they'd ha'
buried him i the forenoon, when the
rain was fallin' there's no likelihood of
drop now. An the moon lies like a
boat there. That's sure sign of fair
weather" According to the sailors,
when the moon is in this position it de-
notes fine weather; for, to use their
phrase, You might hang your hat upon
it." In Liverpool, however, it is con-
sidered sign of foul weather, as the
mood is now considered to be like q
basin of water about to fall. The Scotch
proverb inculcates the following admo-
milton
The honeymoon is on her back,
Mend Your shoes and sort your thack.
Whenever large planet or large star
is seen near the moon it is said by sea-
faring men to prognosticate boisterous
weather, for, to make use of their term,
"A big star is dogging the NOON" Some
years ago, says a correspondent of Notes
anil QnrieS, fisherman of Torquay
told me after violent gale that he had
| foreseen the storm, as he had observed
one star ahead of the moon towing her,
and another astern chasing her. Many
other superstitious fancies are associ,
ated with the moons supposed influence
on the weather. varying, of course, in
different localities. Thus clear moon
is generally supposed to augur bright
weather in summer and frost III winter
One proverb tells us:
Ii the moon shows a silver shield
/ Be not afraid to reap your field;
But if she rises haloed round,
Soon well tread on deluged ground.
In winter time, according to a popu
lar adage,
Clear moon frost soon