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Monthly Observations, with a Catalogue, (including the Linnean names) of all really British Plants, as they come into flower, each month throughout the year.

JANUARY.

THE ever varying seasons bring with them new and interesting scenes in nature; but from not having these appearances pointed out to us, many of them pass by unnoticed, and many are misunderstood. A calendar of nature is intended to supply these deficiencies, and, by enlarging our mental views, to lead us through nature up to nature's God. But these scenes and occurrences differ in different regions, and in some instances in those which are not very remote from each other; it is necessary, therefore, to remark, that we confine ourselves to our native island, in which the following observations, to be eontinued regularly through the different months of the year, have been chiefly drawn from a careful observation of nature itself.

January, in all northern latitudes, may be considered as the chief winter month; the weather, which has been of a very fluctuating description before, now setting in with rigour. This, however, is not always very considerable; it consists sometimes of snow and frost, and sometimes of hail, or floods of rain. It is well known, that the atmosphere always contains a very considerable portion of moisture; and, what appears very much of the nature of a paradox, it is frequently the case that there is more in dry weather than in wet: but the difference of these states, consists rather in the manner in which the moisture exists, than in its quantity. In dry weather it is in a state of solution, like salt in water; in wet weather, in a state of mere mixture, and consequently visible. Rain usually comes in this country with winds between S. E. and N.W.; and as these are of very frequent occurrence, it follows, that in England we No. 23.-VOL. III.

[1821.

are not often led to complain of drought.

The different changes which take tions in its electric state. When well place in the air, are caused by alteracharged with the electric fluid, the air dissolves, and holds much moisture; but having received as much as it is capable of containing, as some other body in nature must in the same proportion be reduced below its proper standard, a transfer takes place; and that moisture which was before invisible, appears in the form of a cloud, which swims at a higher or lower elevation, according to its gravity, as compared with that of the atmosphere in which it floats. When high it is a cloud, when low it is denominated a mist. But a cloud may have sufficient electricity to suspend it in the air for a long time, though the air is not capable of dissolving it; when this quantity also is parted with, the aqueous particles, left to obey their own attractions, assume the figure of globular drops, and fall by their own gravity to the earth,, carrying with them nearly all that electric fluid which the atmosphere received from the earth during the dry weather of summer.

Hail is nothing more than globules of frozen rain; but certain circumstances, not yet well ascertained, aré necessary to its production. Hail, at least in the western counties, comes with winds between N. W. and W., and sometimes from the S. W. When the wind has been at north, we have seen a dense cloud rise in the S. W. with a rapid and violently whirling motion; and when it has reached the zenith, and covered half the horizon, a violent rushing noise has been heard for about a quarter of a minute before the descent of the hail. Whirling clouds often bring hail; and it most generally happens that a brisk squall attends it, even when the air before has been very still. It appears, that the fluid drops form at a considerable degree of elevation, and in their descent meet with a counter current of

B

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Monthly Observations.

cold air, which congeals them before they reach the ground.. Hail is sometimes found of very large size; in this case the globules are formed of many smaller ones united together, which eauses them usually to be of very irregular figures.

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The expansion of water in freezing, may be ascribed to two causes; first, to the disengagement of numerous bubbles of air, which were before in a state of solution in the fluid, or at least of intimate union with it;-but principally to the solid crystals assumFrom what has been said of raining an angular arrangement, by which and hail, the nature of snow may be pretty well understood. It consists of frozen particles of moisture, that were congealed before they had time to form into drops; and consequently one of these two circumstances is necessary to its existence; it must have formed near the ground, or if at a considerable height, the air near the earth must be at such a low temperature, that the flakes may not be dissolved in their descent: when this is the case it forms sleet. If hail is seen when the under current of air is warm, it is to be accounted for from the swiftness of its fall. In this country, snow appears of two sorts: large flakes, consisting of particles that before they were fully congealed have caused other particles to adhere to them, and therefore indicate a less severe degree of cold; the other is a fine and dusty snow, which is seen chiefly in more northern regions, but of which the heavy snow that covered all England in Jan. 1814, consisted.

numerous interstices are left in the ice, that render it of less specific gravity than water, and consequently cause it to swim on the surface; a circumstance, without which the inhabitants of the waters must speedily perish, for the rivers would soon become a body of ice. Whereas when a sheet of ice covers the surface, it protects what is below from the accession of cold, and consequently maintains its fluidity. Fishes, however, are not exempted from the sufferings of the season, though in a different way from land animals. Air is necessary to their existence, and water contains but a definite portion of it, which when deteriorated by having passed thro' their gills, the ice prevents from being renewed. Aware of this circumstance, the inhabitants of the northern regions make use of a stratagem to supply themselves with fish; they break a hole in the ice, and take with nets those of the finny tribe that crowd to the spot as to a place of safety. But if ice is capable of affording protection from great extremes of cold, snow does this in a much more effectual manner; for being a very bad conductor of heat, vegetables, and sometimes animals, are clothed by it as with a garment; and hence it was that plants which bore without injury the rigours of a Lapland climate, perished in the winter, when transplanted to the more southern latitude of Stockholm, solely from being without their usual cover

Frost consists of water deprived of a large portion of its heat, by which it becomes crystallized; for it must be observed, that water does not simply become solid by freezing, but its particles assume a regular form, as different kinds of salts when deposited by water or the fluids in which they have been dissolved, are found to do, and from the same cause. It is a general law of nature, that bodies in a fluid state become more concentrated as they grow colder; but an excep-ing of snow. tion to this, calculated to be of the utmost service in the economy of divine providence, occurs in the instance of water, which, when cooling, contracts indeed like other bodies, but when it reaches the freezing point, or 32°, it expands with irresistible violence, and becomes solid. It is, however, possible to cool water below 32° without its freezing; but when placed in circumstances that allow of its consolidation, it immediately rises to 32°, a sufficient proof that something beside the abstraction of heat is necessary to the formation of ice.

It may be regarded as an established fact, that the coldness of a country is as the quantity of snow that falls in it; for in order to its liquefaction it absorbs so much matter of heat (caloric) as reduces surrounding bodies to its own standard, and thus proves the cause of long-continued frost. At this season, domestic cattle require the constant attention of the farmer, and thus are paid the wages of their toil in summer. Wild animals are driven hard between the extremes of hunger and fear. Hares enter gardens and plantations, and devour the

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Envy and Candour, a Dialogue.

bark of trees as high as they can reach; but are traced in the snow, and often fall a prey to those who follow the healthful exercise of shooting. They seem at this time to be sensible of the peculiar danger of leaving the tracks of their footsteps in the snow; for when about to enter their form, they are seen to leap about in various directions, in order to confound the marks, and at last with one great effort they spring from a distance at once into their retreat.

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is mostly torpid: yet a few make their appearance, and gnats are found sporting in the sunbeams, when the ground is thickly covered with snow. How they live is hard to say, but they resist the stupifying effects of cold more completely than animals of a much larger size are found to do.

How dead the vegetable kingdom lies! yet, having now the full enjoyment of air and light, this is the chief time for the vegetation of mosses; and even a few of Flora's higher orders shew their flowers, as the daisy, black hellebore, winter aconite, and furze; but they give pain rather than pleasure, when viewed in connection with whistling winds and icy skies. Severe frost is found to kill turnips in the field, and thus materially injure the property of the farmer.

Towards the end of the month, the catkins of the hazel begin to appear in the hedges; and the buds of gooseberry bushes, which are beginning to swell, are often devoured by Bullfinches, which thus make great havock in gardens. These birds are sometimes so stuffed with this food, as to appear not to have room for a particle more. The Groundsel is very generally in flower, and is a favourite food with many birds, at a time when scarcely any thing beside is to be obtained by them.

The woodcock tribe quits the woods, where, in mild weather, they found both food and safety; and betake themselves to the open springs that are near the sea coast; where they feed both by day and night, and fly chiefly in the morning and evening. Birds of the Thrush kind feel the severity of the season, and the Redwing in a very especial manner. This bird, though a native of a northern clime, and of a wild and timid nature, becomes more tame from cold and hunger, than those of its genus which reside with us, and numbers of them perish. The Redbreast and Wren almost cease their song. The former visits houses in the country, and is considered by the children as a friend whom at this severe season they are bound to feed and protect. Birds of the finch tribe find it their interest to keep near farm-yards; and the domestic Sparrow, particularly, will share in the housewife's allowance to her poultry, in defiance of all her vigilance. Of all large birds the gull tribe seem to suffer the most severe privations; the trembling waves prevent their getting much supply from the sea shore, and the fry of fish, and water insects, have sought the shelter of deep water; they are therefore often seen following the plough in numbers, like a Envy. What do you think of this swarm of bees, where they are of Miss Hthat is come among us? great service to the husbandman by Candour.-I think her a very beautidevouring insects that are thus ex-ful, elegant, and accomplished young posed to light. In some instances it has been known, that distress has driven them to devour such small birds as they have been able to over

come.

Herrings are at this season taken in vast quantities; but not in such numbers in the west, as on the shores of the more eastern counties; those of the west are however esteemed as the larger and better fish, and sell at a much higher price. The insect tribe

Come into flower this month, common Groundsel, Senecio VulgarisDaisy, Bellis perennis-Furz, Ulex Europæus.--Catkins of the Hazel

appear.

ENVY

AND CANDOUR,-
-A DIALOGUE
BETWEEN TWO YOUNG LADIES.

woman.

Envy. That I am convinced is precisely her own opinion.

Candour.-I am at a loss to know, how you came to be convinced, from her manner of conversation, that she thinks so highly of herself.

Envy. O, it is quite evident, the men have turn'd the girl's head; they tell every woman, as you know very well, my dear, that she is elegant, beautiful, and accomplished.

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On the Alteration in Times.

Candour. It is not then surprising, that they should hold the same language to Miss H- whom they must think so in the highest degree. Don't you remember how all the gentlemen were in her praise?

Envy.-Well, for my part, I do not think the men half so good judges of female beauty as the women. Miss H- has too great a quantity of hair considering how small her head is. Candour.-What fault do you find with her person.

Envy. She is too tall. Candour.-She is not above an inch taller than yourself.

Euvy.-I do not pretend to say, she is a great deal too tall.

Candour.-Can you pretend to say

she is too short.

Envy. She is neither one thing nor the other; one does not know what to make of her.

Candour. That settles the point of her height; let us now proceed to her face. Do you not find something very engaging in her countenance? Envy.-Engaging, do you call it? Candour.-Yes, I call it engaging. What do you call it?

Envy. She is apt, indeed, to smile, but that is to shew her teeth.

Candour. She would not smile for that purpose, however, unless she had good fine teeth; and they are certainly the finest I ever saw.

Envy. What signifies teeth?
Candour.-Well, let us come to her

eyes.

What do you think of them? Envy. They are not black. Candour.-No; but they are the sweetest blue in nature.

Envy.-Blue eyes have been long out of fashion; black are now all the mode.

Candour.-Blue ones are coming round again; for those of Miss are much admired.

Envy. Her fortune would procure her admirers among men, although she had no eyes at all.

Candour.--That stroke lights entirely on the men, and misses the person against whom it was aimed.

Envy.-Aimed! I have no ill-will against Miss

Candour.-I am glad to hear it. Envy.-Lord, not I, why should I? Candour.-I am sure I cannot tell. Envy. She never did me any injury.

Candour.-I was afraid she had.

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Envy. No, not in the least, that I know of. I dare say she is a good enough sort of a girl; but as for beauty, her pretensions to that are very moderate indeed.

ON THE ALTERATION IN TIMES.

THERE is a cynical principle in human nature, which always leads us to complain of the days in which we live. We generally think, that the moment which is passing over us, is fraught with more evils than any that preceded it; and foolishly imagine that the calamities which await us in futurity, cannot surpass in magnitude, those which we have already experienced. Similar thoughts have been our companions through the whole course of our remembrance; and it but rarely happens, that we perceive the advantages which we have enjoyed, until they have departed from us, and some unexpected disaster has appeared to awaken recollection.

The case seems to have been much the same with our ancestors; and in proportion to the distance of the period in which they lived, our astonishment is excited at the unreasonableThe world ness of their complaints. is in a state of incessant fluctuation; nor can the most penetrating genius any more anticipate the events and concomitants of life, which are lodged in futurity, than our ancestors who lived three centuries since, were able to discern the condition of civilized society in the age which we call our own. We look back with astonishment upon the subjects and causes of their complaints: and, making a comparison between their condition and our own, smile at their simplicity, and envy their situation. Analogy tells us, that it is not unreasonable to suppose, the period will arrive a few centuries hence, when our successors may reflect on our present state, in a similar manner, and wish"Like duteous sons, their fathers were more wise."

The abundance or scarcity, as well as the cheapness or dearth of every commodity, is always comparative; and the good or evil resulting from either, can only be estimated by the proportions which articles bear in their value towards one another. This

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Ón the Alteration in Times.

is the true ground of rational calcula- ( tion; all besides being fallacious.

These reflections have been occasioned by the following observations, which illustrate the ancient manner of thinking in England. They have been taken from a work on Political Economy, published in 1581, in the reign of Elizabeth, and communicated by IPOLPERROC.

What numbers of trifles come hither from beyond sea, that we might either clean spare, or else make them within our realm: I mean lookingglasses, drinking-glasses, and glass for windows, dials, tables, cards, balls, puppets, penners, inkhorns, toothpicks, gloves, knives, daggers, owches, brooches, agletts, buttons of silked silver, earthen pots, pins, and points, hawk's bells, paper, white and brown, and a thousand like things.

Some gentlemen seeing, from the increase of the prices of almost every thing, that they can no longer stand it, (thirty years ago, a pig or goose costing four-pence, that now costs twelvepence, a good capon for three or four pence, chicken for a penny, a hen for two-pence, which now cost double and treble the money) either keep a chamber in London, or wait on the court uncalled, with a man and a lackey after him, where he was wont to keep thirty or forty persons daily in his house, and to do good in the country, in keeping good order and rule among his neighbours.

I think we were in as much dread or more of our enemies, when our gentlemen went simply, and our serving men plainly, without cuts or gards, bearing their heavy swords and bucklers on their thighs, instead of cuts and gards and light dancing-swords; and when they rode, carrying good spears in their hands instead of white rods, which they carry now, more like ladies or gentlewomen than men, all which delicacies make our men clean effeminate, and without strength.

Many a great wise man thinks it better that all our wool were sold over sea unwrought, than any clothiers should be set at work withall, within this realm. They take it that all insurrections and uproars, for the most part, do rise by occasion of these clothiers; for when clothiers lack vent over-sea, there is a great multitude of these clothiers idle. And when they be

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idle, then they assemble in companies, and murmur for lack of living, and so pick one quarrel or other to stir the poor commons, that be as idle as they, to a commotion. And sometimes by occasion of wars, there must needs be some stay of clothes, so as they cannot have always like sale or vent; at every which time, if the said clothiers should take occasion of commotion, they think it were better that there were none of them in the realm at all. (It is to be observed, that the author is controverting this argumentation.) I have read, that in this realm some time there was such a law, as a man that had trespassed the law of misadventure, might have taken the ploughtail as his sanctuary.

When I asked a bookseller why we had not white and brown paper made within the realm, as well as they had made beyond the sea? then he answered me, that there was paper made awhile within the realm; at the last, the man perceived that he could not put forth his paper as good and cheap as it came from beyond the sea, and so he was forced to lay down making of paper: and no blame in the man, for men will give never the more for his paper because it was made here.

I was once in a Parliament, when such a thing was moved, but only for caps, that none made beyond sea should be sold here within the realm; and then it was answered by a great wise man, that it was to be feared lest it touched the league made between the Prince's highness and some foreign Prince.

When there came a certain vessel out of England to Carmarthen, in the marches of Wales, all laden with apples, which aforetime was wont to bring them good corn, the town commanded that none should buy the said apples upon a great pain, and so the boat stood so long in the haven without sale or vent, till the apples were putrified and lost. And when the owner demanded of the bailiff of the town why he had staid his sale and vent? the bailiff answered again, that the said vessel came thither to fetch the best wares they had in the country, as friezes, broad cloths, and wool; and instead thereof, he should leave them in their country but apples, that should be spent and wasted in less than a week. And said, bring to us corn or malt, as ye were wont to

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