Fourthly, It is affirmed by many, and received by most, that it never raineth in _Egypt_, the river supplying that defect, and bountifully requiting it in its inundation: but this must also be received in a qualified sense, that is, that it rains but seldom at any time in the Summer, and very rarely in the Winter. [SN: _That_ Egypt _hath rain_.] But that great showers do sometimes fall upon that Region, beside the Assertion of many Writers, [SN: _Sir_ William Paston _Baronet_.] we can confirm from honourable and ocular testimony, and that not many years past, it rained in Grand _Cairo_ divers days together. The same is also attested concerning other parts of _Egypt_, by _Prosper Alpinus_, who lived long in that Country, and hath left an accurate Treaty of the medical practise thereof. _Cayri raro decidunt pluviæ, Alexandriæ, Pelusiiq; et in omnibus locis mari adjacentibus, pluit largissime et sæpe_; that is, it raineth seldom at _Cairo_, but at _Alexandria_, _Damiata_, and places near the Sea, it raineth plentifully and often. Whereto we might add the latter testimony of Learned Mr. _Greaves_, in his accurate description of the _Pyramids_. Beside, Men hereby forget the relation of holy Scripture. [SN: _Exod._ 9.] _Behold I will cause it to rain a very great hail, such as hath not been in_ Egypt _since the foundation thereof, even untill now_. Wherein God threatning such a rain as had not happened, it must be presumed they had been acquainted with some before, and were not ignorant of the substance, the menace being made in the circumstance. The same concerning hail is inferrible from _Prosper Alpinus. Rarissime nix, grando_, it seldom snoweth or haileth. Where by we must concede that snow and hail do sometimes fall, because they happen seldom. Now this mistake ariseth from a misapplication of the bounds or limits of time, and an undue transition from one unto another; which to avoid, we must observe the punctual differences of time, and so distinguish thereof, as not to confound or lose the one in the other. For things may come to pass, _Semper, Plerumq; Sæpe, aut Nunquam, Aliquando, Raro_; that is, Always, or Never, For the most part, or Sometimes, Ofttimes, or Seldom. Now the deception is usual which is made by the mis-application of these; men presently concluding that to happen often, which happeneth but sometimes: that never, which happeneth but seldom; and that alway, which happeneth for the most part. So is it said, the Sun shines every day in Rhodes, because for the most part it faileth not. So we say and believe that a Camelion never eateth, but liveth only upon air, whereas indeed it is seen to eat very seldom, but many there are who have beheld it to feed on Flyes. And so it is said, that children born in the eighth moneth live not, that is, for the most part, but not to be concluded alwaies: nor it seems in former ages in all places: for it is otherwise recorded by _Aristotle_ concerning the births of _Egypt_.