THERE were some Years ago a Sort of Toys sold, with a Man and a Woman so fixed before the Door of a House, that at the Approach of wet Weather the Woman entered it, and when the Weather grew fair the Man. This was done by the Help of a Bit of Catgut, which shrinks in wet Weather, and stretches again when it is fair. This appears better by a Line and Plummet, especially if the Line be made of good Whipcord, that is well dried, for then if it be hung against a Wainscot, and a Line drawn under it exactly where the Plummet reaches, in very moderate Weather it will be found to rise above it before Rain, and to sink below when the Weather is like to become fair; but the best Instrument of all is a good Pair of Scales, in one of which let there be a brass Weight of a Pound, and in the other a Pound of Salt, or of Salt-Petre well dried, a Stand being placed under the Scale, so as to hinder its falling too low. When it is inclined to rain the Salt will swell, and sink the Scale, when the Weather is growing fair, the brass Weight will regain its Ascendancy. XXIV. SPRING and SUMMER. _If the last eighteen Days of_ February _and ten Days of_ March _be for the most part_ rainy, _then the_ Spring and Summer _Quarters are like to be so too: and I never knew_ a great Drought _but it entered_ in that Season. IT is easy to discover by Observation whether this Rule be well or ill founded, that is to say, whether our Shepherd's Observation will serve for other Places or not, and where it will serve and where not. But it may not be amiss to remark that it is highly probable, or rather absolutely certain, that the Weather in one Season of the Year determines the Weather in another. For instance, if there be a rainy Winter then the Autumn will be dry, if a dry Spring, then a rainy Winter. Our Forefathers had abundance of odd Sayings upon this Subject, and some Proverbs for every Month in the Year, but I doubt they were indifferently founded, however there can be no Harm in observing them, in order to discover whether there be any thing in them or not. _Janiveer_ freeze the Pot by the Fire If the Grass grow in _Janiveer_ It grows the worse for't all the Year. The _Welchman_ had rather see his Dam on the Bier Than to see a fair _Februeer_. _March_ Wind and _May_ Sun Make Clothes white and Maids Dun. When _April_ blows his Horn It's good both for Hay and Corn. An _April_ Flood Carries away the Frog and her Brood. A cold _May_ and a windy Makes a full Barn and a Findy. A _May_ Flood never did good. A Swarm of Bees in _May_ Is worth a Load of Hay. But a Swarm in _July_ Is not worth a Fly, _&c._ XXV.