MOON-LIGHT.

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the thermometer in the air was many degrees above the freezing point.

Another fact is also remarkable. Men on board a ship, while lying down in the moonlight, with their faces exposed to its beams, often have their muscles spasmodically distorted, and their mouths drawn awry; and others have been so injured in their sight, as to lose it for several months. Fish, when eaten after having been hung up during the night in the light of the moon, have occasioned great pain and violent sickness. Ages ago, Plutarch said, "Everybody knows that those who sleep abroad, under the influence of the moon, are not easily awaked, but seem stupid and senseless ;" and the testimony of modern observers confirms the declaration. Mr. Carne says, in his Letters from the East, "The moon here really strikes and affects the sight, when you sleep exposed to it, much more than the sun, a fact of which I had a very unpleasant proof one night, and took care to guard against it afterwards; indeed, the sight of a person who should sleep with his face exposed at night would soon be utterly impaired or destroyed."

Decomposition goes on more rapidly when substances are exposed to the beams of the moon, than when the solar rays are acting upon them. Meat exposed to

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them soon becomes putrescent. A knowledge of such facts will throw much light on the words of the psalmist, "The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night," Psa. cxxi. 6.

A contrast to these circumstances must, however, be observed. Among the Hindoos, the moon is spoken of in the masculine gender, and is believed to have a very favourable influence on all fruits and vegetables used by man. "Whilst the sun burns," they say, "the

moon cools."

From the time of the new moon to its becoming full, all plants and all kinds of young grain are said to gain more strength than at any other time. In places where the young rice plants have failed, the farmer says, "I must put down some plants there in the new moon," from the idea that they will derive much nourishment from it. Before the time of reaping, it is often said, "The moon will bring forth the ears." Such ideas strikingly accord with the blessing pronounced by Moses on Joseph, which included "precious things put forth by the moon," Deut. xxxiii. 14.

There are yet some other circumstances recorded in Scripture, to which it will be well to allude. In the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, Joshua said in the sight of the

ople: "Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou,