OF SELBORNE. 319 
and work, and a manifest thaw took place. From 
the latter circumstance we may conclude that thaws 
often originate under ground from warm vapours 
which arise, else how should subterraneous animals 
receive such early intimations of their approach? 
Moreover, we have often observed that cold seems 
to descend from above; for when a thermometer 
hangs abroad in a frosty night, the intervention of 
a cloud shall immediately raise the mercury ten de- 
grees, and a clear sky shall again compel it to de. 
scend to its former gauge. 
And here it may be proper to observe, on what 
has been said above, that though frosts advance to 
their utmost severity by somewhat of a regular 
gradation, yet thaws do not usually come on by as 
regular a declension of cold, but often take place 
immediately from intense freezing, as men in sick. 
ness often mend at once from a paroxysm. 
To the great credit of Portugal laurels and 
American junipers, be it remembered that they 
remained untouched amid the general havoc: hence 
men should learn to ornament chiefly. with such 
trees as are able to withstand accidental severities, 
and not subject themselves to the vexation of a loss 
which may befall them once perhaps in ten years, 
_yet may hardly be recovered through the whole 
course of their lives. 
As it appeared afterward, the ilexes were much 
injured, the cypresses were half destroyed, the 
arbutuses lingered on but never recovered, and the 
bays, laurustines, and laurels were killed to the 
ground ; and the very wild hollies, in hot aspects, 
were so much affected that they cast all their 
leaves. 
