The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

460 NATURAL HISTORY OF VW\INDS.
some few days; but if they be seen in some 45. If at sunsetting there arise black and dark
places, and not in other some, it foreshows winds clouds, they presage rain; if against the sun,
only, and that suddenly. namely, in the east, the same night; if near the
25. The sky, when it is all over bright, in a sun in the west, the next day, with winds.
new moon, or at the fourth rising of it, portends 46. The clearing of a cloudy sky, if it begins
fair weather for many days; if it be all over dark, against the wind which then blows, signifies
it foreshows rain; if partly dark and partly fair, clear, fair weather; with the wind it betokens
it portends wind of that side where the darkness nothing, but the thing remains uncertain.
is seen; but if it grow dark on a sudden, without 47. There are sometimes seen several, as it
either cloud or mist to dim the brightness of the were, chambers, or joined stories of clouds, one
stars, there are great and rough tempests a- above the other, (so as Gilbertus affirms, he hath
breeding. seen five of them together,) and always the black.36. If an entire circle encloseth a planet, or est are lowermost, though sometimes it appears
any of the greater stars, it foreshows wind; if it otherwise, because the whitest do more allure the
be a broken circle, winds from those parts where sight. A double conjunction of stories, if it he
the circle is deficient. thick, shows approaching rain, (especially if the
37. When the thunder is more than the light- lower cloud seem, as it were, big with child;
nines, there will be great winds; but if the light- more conjunctions presage continuance of rage.
ninrgs be thick amidst the thundering, it fore- 48. If clouds spread abroad like fleeces of wool
shows thick showers, with great drops. here and there, they foreshow tempests; but if
38. iMorning thunders signify wind; midday they lie one atop of another, like scales or tiles,
thunders, rait. they presage drought and clear weather.
39. Bellowing thunders, which do as it were 19. Feathered clouds, like to the boughs of a
pass along, presage winds; and those which palm tree, or the flowers of a rainbow, are progmake a sharp and unequal noise, presage storms nostics of present rain, or immediately to follow.
both of wind and rain. 50. When hills and hillocks look as though
40. When it lightens in a clear sky, winds are they wore caps, by reason of the clouds lying
at hand, and rain from the part where it lightens; upon them, and encompassing them, it presages
but if it lightens in diverse parts, there will fol- imminent tempests.
low cruel and horrid tempests. 51. Amber, or gold colour clouds before sun41. If it lightens in the cold quarters of the setting, that have, as it were, gilded helms or borheavens, namely, the east and north, hail waill ders, after the sun begins to be quite down,
follow; if in the warmer, namely, south and foreshow fair, clear weather.
west, we shall have rain and a warm sky. 52. Grayish, and, as it were, clay-coloured
42. Great heats after the summer solstice, and clouds, show that rain, with wind, are drawing on.
commonly with thunder and lightning, and if 53. Some petty cloud showing itself suddenly,
those come not, there will be wind and rain for having not been seen before, and all the sky clear
many days. about it, especially if it be in the west, and about
43. The globe of flame, which the ancients noon, shows there is a storm a-coming.
called Castor, which is seen by mariners and 541. Clouds and mists ascending, and going
seafaring men at sea, if there be but one, upward, presage rain, and that this be done sudpresages a cruel tempest, (Castor is the dead denly, so that they be, as it were, sucked up, they
brother,) and much more, if it stick not close to presage rain, but if they fall, and reside in the
the mast, but dances up and down; but if they valleys, they presage fair weather.
be twins, (and Pollux the living brother be pre- 55. A big cloud growing white, which the
sent,) and that when the tempest is high, it is a ancients called a white tempest, in summer, is a
good presage; but if there be three, (namely, if forerunner of small hail, like comfits, in winter,
Helen, the plague of all things, come in,) it will snow.
be a more cruel tempest: so that one seems to 56. A fair and clear autumn presages a windy
show the indigested matter of the storm; two, a winter; a windy winter a rainy spring; a rainy
digested and ripe matter; three or more, an spring, a clear summer; a clear summer, a windy
abundance that will hardly be dispersed. autumn. So that the year (as the proverb goes)
44. If we see the clouds drive very fast when is seldom its own debtor, and the same order of
it is a clear sky, we must look for winds from seasons will scarce happen two years together.
that way from which the clouds are driven; but 57. Fires upon the hearth, when they look
if they wheel and tumble up together, when the paler than they are accustomed, and make a mursun draws near to that part in which they are muring noise within themselves, do presage temtumbled up together, they will begin to scatter pests. And if the flame rises, bending and turnand sever; and if they part most towards the ing, it signifies wind chiefly; and when the snuffs
north, it betokens wind; if towards the south, of lamps and candles grow like mushrooms with::1n. broad heads, it is a sign of rainy weather.