n large flakes, soon turning to
rain. There are other appearances at nightfall which deserve
consideration. A red sun, with smoky air, is indicative of continued dry
weather, a frequent appearance in dry terms, lasting three or four days,
at least, from the commencement. So is a red appearance of the sky, when
there are no clouds, indicative of a fair day following. On this subject
we have an allusion to the weather, by our Saviour while on earth, which,
like all such allusions found in the Bible, is of remarkable philosophical
accuracy. It is found in Matthew, chapter xvi., verses 2 and 3: "He
answered and said unto them, When it is evening ye say, It will be fair
weather, for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather
to-day, for the sky is red and lowering. O, ye hypocrites, ye _can
discern_ the face of the sky," etc.

Another allusion to the weather, though not applicable to this point, I
will refer to in passing. It is found in Luke, chapter xii., verses 54 and
55: "And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the
west straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is. And when ye
see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to
pass."

This is all very true, and might have been cited to show the universality
of the phenomena. But to return.

We have an old English proverb alluding to the same phenomena, of great
value and truth, viz.:

"An evening red and a morning gray
Are sure signs of a fair day;
Be the evening gray and the morning red,
Put on your hat or you'll wet your head."

The sky is red if there be no condensation at the west to obscure the rays
of the sun; if there be, it is gray, or there is a bank or cloud, and it
is obscured. So if there be no condensation over, or to the east of us, in
the morning, to reflect the rays of the sun, the sky is gray; if there be
such condensation, the sun is reflected from it, and the sky is red. Such
morning condensation is indicative of foul weather. It is, as we have
said, the eastern edge of an approaching storm, on, or under which, the
sun shines and illumines it. Thus, at night, it shines through a portion
at the west, which is situate between the sun and us, making the sky gray:
but shines on, or under, a portion in the morning, east of us, but not far
enough east to obscure the horizon, and the rays of the rising sun are
reflected from it. In either case the red or gray appearance resul