result of our own observation and enquiry - of which we gave a full report at the time - showed that during the month in question there occurred frost, fog, snow, hail, rainbows, ten solar halos, five parhelia, eight thunder storms and a mirage. There were also shocks of earthquake and a volcanic eruption abroad. The range of temperature, even at St. Leonards amounted to 42 degrees, whilst in some parts of the country, it was nearly 50; the mean of the month being five or six degrees above the general average.
Now, during the month of September (1859) just closing, there have been again three planets again located with the sun, and again have those disturbing - Mercury, Mars and Uranus - exhibited their potency, not only in a meteorological effect, but also in a manner more immediately affecting the safety and well-being of the community, as we shall presently show. But, first, as to atmospheric phenomena. On the 28th of August, there occurred an eclipse of the sun, and consequently new moon - a conjunction of the Sun and Mercury. Immediately succeeding these configurations was one of the most gorgeous displays of aurora ever witnessed in England by living man. Since then the aurora borealis has been observed on several occasions, stars have shone with unusual lustre, the satellites of Jupiter have been seen with the naked eye, prismatic bows and chromatic cones have presented themselves, meteors have traversed the heavens in various directions, solar and lunar halos have been frequent, parhelia have been observed, vivid lightning has flashed and deafening thunder has rolled, gales and water-spouts have swept over the seas, heavy hailstorms have visited Clifton and other places, solar spots of immense magnitude have been seen by unassisted vision, earthquakes have occurred abroad, and the telegraph wires throughout the American and European continents have emitted sparks of electricity, and have been incapable of transmitting messages for several hours at a time. We have said that on the 28th of August there was a new moon, &c., and we have shewn that the several magnetic and other phenomena subsequently occurring commenced at that time. We will now show how exactly those occurrences agree with the predictions of several of our astro-meteorologists. The New Moon (says Simmonite) which is taken to influence this month (September) is forming when that part of the zodiac is on the eastern horizon, consequently the New Moon and the eastern point possess the fifth degree of Virgo. Mercury rules the moon, and being -
