OF SELBORNE. 313 
tall trees, or the tumbling of the tide upon a pebbly 
shore. When this ceremony is over, with the last 
gleam of day they retire for the night to the deep 
beechen woods of Tisted and Ropley. We re. 
member a little girl, who, as she was going to bed, 
used to remark on such an occurrence, in the true 
spirit of physico-theology, that the rooks were say. 
ing their prayers; and yet this child was much too 
young to be aware that the Scriptures have said 
of the Deity that “he feedeth the ravens who call 
upon him.” 
LETTER LVI. 
In reading Dr. Huxham’s Observationes de Aére, 
&c., written at Plymouth, I find by those curious 
and accurate remarks, which contain an account of 
the weather from the year 1727 to the year 1748 
inclusive, that though there is frequent rain in that 
district of Devonshire, yet the quantity falling is 
not great, and that some years it has been very 
small ; for in 1731 the rain measured only 17", 
—266"".; and in 1741, 20—354; and again in 
1743, only 20—908. Places near the sea have 
frequent scuds, that keep the atmosphere moist, 
yet do not reach far up into the country, making 
thus the maritime situations appear wet when the 
rain is not considerable. In the wettest years at 
Plymouth the doctor measured only once 36; and 
again once, viz., 1734, 37—114; a quantity of 
rain that has twice been exceeded at Selborne in the 
short period of my observations. Dr. Huxham 
Do 
