Remarks on Weather.

“The mean temperature of London is about 2 deg. higher than that of the surrounding country; the difference exists chiefly in the night, and is greatest in winter and least in summer.”

“Mr. Howard is of opinion, from a careful comparison of a long series of observations, that a wet spring is an indication of a dry time for the ensuing harvest.”

“The greatest depression of temperature in every month happens, all other circumstances being the same, a short time before sun-rise.”

“There are only two months, namely, July and August, in which, taking into consideration the power of radiation, vegetation, in certain situations, is not exposed to a temperature of 32 deg.”

“The temperature of August is but little reduced, owing to the prevalence of hot nights.  The action of the sun’s rays is considerably assisted by the warm earth which radiates heat into the air; while, in spring, it absorbs every day a proportion of the heat which the sun produces.”

“October—­Now that the fruits of the earth are laid in store, the increase of wet is attended by no injurious effects, the remaining heat of the earth is preserved from needless expenditure, and guarded from dissipation, by an increasing canopy of clouds, by which the effect of radiation is greatly reduced.”

“The comparative warmth of November is owing to the heat given out by the condensation of the vapour in the atmosphere into rain.”

“The mean temperature of the whole year is not found to vary, in different years, more than four degrees and a half.”

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Such as hold superstition sweet to the soul, and love to exercise their ingenuity in hieroglyphics, the baseless grounds of tea, and lucky dreams and omens, will find little amusement in the British Almanac; but their absence is more than supplied by information “which almost every man engaged in the world requires.”

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THE SKETCH BOOK.

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A VISION OF PURGATORY.

By William Maginn, Esq.

The churchyard of Inistubber is as lonely a one as you would wish to see on a summer’s day, or avoid on a winter’s night.  Under the east window of the church is a mouldering vault of the De Lacys,—­a branch of a family descended from one of the conquerors of Ireland; and there they are buried, when the allotted time calls them to the tomb.  Sir Theodore De Lacy had lived a jolly, thoughtless life, rising early for the hunt, and retiring late from the bottle.  A good-humoured bachelor who took no care about the management of his household, provided that the hounds were in order for his going out, and the table ready on his coming in.  As for the rest,—­an easy landlord, a quiet master, a lenient magistrate (except to poachers,)