occur. That the partial failure of the sun's rays limits the transit of the machinery, and the volume of the trades during the latter half of the decade, and extends the transit and increases the volume during the first half, producing an occasional severe summer drought and severe winter, in the warmest portion of the decade. And that the variations correspond with the difference in the character and number of the spots in different decades, and hence the longer and shorter periods. Turning to the tables of Dr. Webster, we find that a general tendency to extreme seasons does seem to exist from the 6th to the 10th year of every decade, and especially of every alternate decade. The periods of 1707-8, 1728, 1737 and 1739, 1749-50, 1758-9, 1779-80, 1798-9, are those in which the tendency was seen most decided. These tables are very general. The thermometer was not perfected till about 1700, and did not get into general use before 1750. There were very few meteorological registers kept, or accessible to Dr. Webster. Hence he was obliged to resort to such other sources of information as were open to him, and such statements as he found are not always entirely reliable. The oldest inhabitant is apt to express himself very strongly respecting present extremes, and fail somewhat in his recollection of those which have past. Still his tables afford general and obvious evidence of the regularity of those periodic conditions. +---------------------------------------------------------+ |A. D.| Summer. | Winter. | |-----|-------------------------|-------------------------| | 1701| hot and dry | .... | | 1702| hot and dry | .... | | 1703| .... | .... | | 1704| dry Europe | .... | | 1705| .... | .... | | 1706| hot, dry Europe | .... | | 1707| very hot | .... | | 1708| .... | very severe | | 1709| .... | .... | | 1710| .... | .... | | 1711| .... | cold Europe | | 1712| wet England | .... | | 1713| wet England | mild | | 1714| dry and hot | .... | | 1715| dry | .... | | 1716| very dry | severe | | 1717| .... | severe | | 1718| hot and wet | .... | | 1719| .... | cold America | | 1720| dry Europe | .... | | 1721| .... | .... | | 1722| cold, wet | .... |