31 JANUARY 1903, Page 33

VILLAGE WEATHER PROPHETS.

[To THE EDITOR OP THE "SPECTATOR."J

Si,—With reference to your very interesting article in the Spectator of December 20th on "Village Weather Prophets," some of your readers may not know that the late Waltham

How, first Bishop of Wakefield, expressed what he had to say on the moon's influence on the weather in the following lines,

which were written many years ago in the visitors' book at the White Lion Hotel,.. Bala :— "The weather depends on the moon as a rule, And I've found that the saying is true ;

For at Bala it rains when the moon's at the full, And it rains when the moon's at the new.

When the moon's at the quarter then down comes the rain, At the half it's no better, I wean; When the moon's at three-quarters it's at it again, And besides, it rains mostly between."

As I am trusting to my memory, I cannot vouch for the accuracy of every line.—I am, Sir, &c., Fairyfield, Great Barr, Birmingham. • G. R. Jetts.