"To the Sovereign of Heaven--to the Mother of the Eternal World--to the Polar Star of Spain--to the Comforter of all Spain--to the faithful Protectress of the Spanish Nation--to the Honour and Glory of the Most Holy Virgin Mary--for her benefit, and for the Propagation of her Worship--the company of Comedians will this day give a representation of the Comic Piece called-- NANINE. The celebrated Italian will also dance the Fandango, and the Theatre will be respectably illuminated." WILLIAM ROBSON. Stockwell. * * * * * SHAKSPEARE CORRESPONDENCE. _The Meteorology of Shakspeare._--A treatise might be written on meteorology, and might be illustrated entirely by passages taken from the writings of "the world's greatest poet." "N. & Q." may not be the fitting medium for a lengthened treatise, but it is the most proper depository of a few loose Notes on the subject. {337} Those who study Shakspeare should, to understand him, thoroughly study Nature at the same time: but to our meteorology. Recent observers have classified clouds as under: ______________________________________________________________ |Howard's Latin | Foster's English | Local Names. | |Nomenclature. | Names. | | |_______________|_____________________|______________________| |Cumulus. | Stackencloud. | Woolbag. | |Cirrus. | Curlcloud. | Goatshair, Grey | |Stratus. | Fallcloud. | Marestails. | |Nimbus. | Raincloud. | | |_______________|_____________________|______________________| There are composite forms of cloud, varieties of the above, which need not be noticed here. The Cumulus is the parent cloud, and produces every other form of cloud known, or which can exist. Mountain ranges and currents of air of unequal temperatures may produce visible vapour, but not true cloud. _Cumulus._ This cloud is always formed at "the dew point." The vapour of the lower atmosphere, at this elevation, is condensed, or rendered visible. In fog the dew point is at the surface of the earth; in summer it may be several thousands of feet above. The Cumulus cloud forms from below. The invisible vapour of the lower atmosphere is condensed, parts with its thousand degrees of latent heat, which rush upwards, forcing the vapour into the vast hemispherical heaps of snowy, glittering clouds, which, seen in midday, appear huge mountains of clouds; the "cloud-land" of the poet, floating in liquid air. The Cumulus cloud is ever changing in form. Cumulating from a level base, the top is mounting higher and higher, until the excessive moisture is precipitated in heavy rain, hail, or thunder showers.