The  winter  rains  commence  about  the  beginning  of
November,  and  continue  with  greater  or  less  constancy
until    the    end  of  February  or  the    middle   of    March.
""Lecture  XI.  :  "Showers  of  Blessings."

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2S0  THE  GOSPEL  IN  NATURE.
They  arc  a  succession  of  severe  showers  or  storms,  with
intervening  periods  of  fine  bright  weather  permitting
the  grain  crops  to  grow  and  ripen.     The  climate  during

the  winter  months  is  very  similar  to  that  of  the  south
of  France,  or  the  maritime  districts  of  the  north  of
Italy.  When  the  season  rains  have  ceased,  and  the  win-
ter is  over  and  gone,  the  whole  face  of  the  earth,  having
been  fed  and  prepared  by  the  nourishing  showers,  is
quickened  by  the  warm  sun  into  luxurious  fertility.
The  grass  springs  up  everywhere;  the  hills  are
ered  with  verdant  olive  trees;  the  fig  trees  and  pome-
granates, which  grow  in  great  abundance,  push  out  their
green  figs  and  fresh  leaves;  and  in  the  days  of  Solomon
as  now,  no  doubt  the}-  were  everywhere  intermixed
with  the  vines  which  were  in  great  luxuriance.*  The
flowers  just  forming  into  the  grape  diffuse  far  and  wide
that  delightful  fragrance  which  is  familiar  to  all  vine-
growing  lands  in  early  spring.
We  may  suppose,  without  departing  from  reasonable
probability,  that  Solomon  drew  his  beautiful  descn
fn>m  his  own  familiar  pleasure-gardens.  History  has
testified  to  the  character,  beauty  and  extent  of  these,
and  the  great  king  has  himself  left  record  of  his  tast.
