Hawthorne uses the phrase "But one idle rainy day" to evoke a sense of introspection and contemplation, suggesting a moment of pause in the characters' lives. The imagery of rain conveys a mood of melancholy and reflection, setting the stage for deeper thoughts and revelations. This phrase highlights the contrast between mundane, everyday life and the potential for significant insights that can emerge during quiet, solitary moments. Ultimately, it underscores the theme of how ordinary circumstances can lead to profound realizations.
A purple prose
Hawthorne didn't start his novel this way. In his preface to the novel this is the beginning to a paragraph. He uses this to phrase as he begins to explain to the reader how he found the material that inspired The Scarlett Letter, or rather the material from whence the story came regardless of who had written it, Hawthorne just by chance being the person to find it. As for any other authors using this phrase, I don't know.
save it for a rainy day
The duration of A Rainy Day is 420.0 seconds.
Ballet for a Rainy Day was created in 1986.
Save It for a Rainy Day was created in 2003.
Here's That Rainy Day was created in 1953.
Hundertwasser's Rainy Day was created in 1972.
Famous Rainy Day was created in 1995.
Rainy Day Woman was created in 1975.
A Rainy Day was created on 1940-04-20.
Rainy Day People was created in 1975-03.