Does The Moon Influence The Weather

From the Fourth Numbcr of Dr. Lardner's Popular Lectures on Science,vhich has just been publishcd, wc makc the following extract. 'Wliaf, then, let us sec, is the present question? - it is assertod that the moon prodnees siich an influencc on the weather as to cause it to change at the new and full moon, and at the quarters. But in this mode of stating the proposition, there are implicitly included two very distinct poinL', one öfwhich isa simple matter of fact, and the other a point of physica! science. First. - It is asserted that at the epochs of a ncw and full moon, and at the quarters, thcre is generally ú change of weather. This is a mere statement o! alledged fact. Second. - It is asserled that the phases of the moon, or in other words, the relative position of the moon and sun ii regard to the earth is the cause of these changos. Nowit is evicicntly neccsszry io settle the first question before we trouble our scives with the second, for if it should so happen that the first statement shoulc prove to be destitute of foundation the second Mis to the ground. Tlie question of fact here before us is one mo&t easily settlcd. In many meteorological observations throughout Europe, a register of the weather in all respects, has been kept for a long period o time. - Thusthe height of the barometer the condition of the thermometer, hy drometcr, and the ïain guage ; the forn and character of the clouds, the times o the fallingofrain, hail andsnow, and in short, every particular respecting the weatherjhas been duly registered,from day to day, and ofien from hour to hour ; am also the period of the lünar phases, and i is, therefore possible to compare one se changes with the olhcr. This has been done. We can imag ine, placed in two parallel columns, in juxtaposition, the series of epochs of the new and full moons, and the quarters, anc the corresponding conclilions of the we&th er at theso times, for lifty or one hun dred years, so lliat we may be enabled to examine, as a mere matter of fací, the conditions of tho wealher for one thousand or iwelve hundred full and new moons and quarters. The result of such an examination wis been, that no corres, pondence whatcver hns been found to exist between the two phenoraena. Thus let us suppose that one hundred and twenty iïve full moons be takèS at random from the table ; ifthe condition of the weather at these several epochs be examinad it will be found, probably, that in sixty-three cases there was a change of weather, and in sixty-two thero was not, so thatunder such circumstances (he odd moon in this división of one hundred and twenty-iive would favor the popular opinión : but if another random collection of one hundred and twenty five full moons be taken, and similarily examincd, it will probably be found thatsixly-three are not attended by changes of weather while sixty two are. With its characteristic caprice the moon on this occasion opposes the popular opinión ; in short, a full examination of the table shows that the condition of the wather as to change, or in any other respect, bas, as a matter of fact, no correspondence ■tfhatsoever wjü} the luna phases. Such, then, being tHe case, it would be idle to attempt to seek for a physicalcause of an eflcct which is dcstitute of truth."